Cyprinella lutrensis
red shiner
Type Locality
Otter Creek, tributary of
North Fork Red River, Tillman Co, Arkansas (Baird and Girard 1853). Type
locality corrected to Otter Creek, tributary of the North Fork of the Red
River, Kiowa or Tillman County, Oklahoma (Matthews 1980; Sublette et al.
1990).
Etymology/Derivation of Scientific Name
Cyprinella - Latin, a
small carp; lutrensis, from lutra - Latin, otter, referring to
the type locality of Otter Creek, Arkansas (Scharph 2005).
Synonymy
Leucicus lutrensis
Baird and Girard 1853:391.
Notropis lutrensis
Cook 1959:11; Knight and Cooper 1978:33; Nailon and Pennington 1987:86.
Characters
Maximum size: 75 mm
(2.95 in) SL
(Matthews 1980; Mayden 1989).
Coloration: Back
olivaceous; sides silver; scales of back and sides edged with melanophores;
abdomen whitish; melanophores in a narrow wedgeshaped pattern posterior to
upper end of opercle and in a medial stripe on gula. Breeding male with red
on top of head; sides pinkish; back and sides blue, darkening to purple in a
cresent behind the head; dorsal fin dark; caudal, pelvic, and pectoral fins
reddish orange (Sublette et al. 1990). Black median stripe on lower jaw does
not extend posteriorly through the isthmus; pigments in interradial
membranes of dorsal fin (Hubbs et al. 1991). Peritoneum silvery with
numerous large, dark chromatophores (Goldstein and Simon 1999).
Pharyngeal teeth count:
0,4-4,0 (Mayden 1989; Hubbs et al. 1991; Page and Burr 1991).
Counts: 34-36 lateral
line scales; 8 dorsal soft fin rays; 8 pelvic soft fin rays; generally 9 (8-10) anal
soft fin
rays (Miller and Robison 2004).
Body shape: Deep body
and compressed (Mayden 1989). Head
sharp and compressed (Hubbs et al. 1991).
Tendency for large males to develop a sharply pointed snout that overhangs
the mouth (Miller and Robison 2004).
Mouth position:
Terminal to slightly subterminal.
Morphology:
Diamond-shaped scales; slightly decurved
lateral line. Tuberculation characteristics from Koehne (1965), Collette
(1977), and Sublette et al. (1990): In the male, nuptial tubercles are dense
and scattered on snout, top of head, chin, edges of body scales, and fin
rays; in the female, weak tubercles are present on head and midline of back.
Nuptial tubercles of the caudal peduncle are largest on anterior end of
scales. As spawning season progresses, tuberculation increases, progressing
from a linear pattern to one that is scattered. Intestine short
and s-shaped (Hubbs et al. 1991; Goldstein and Simon 1999).
Distribution (Native and Introduced)
U.S. distribution:
Ranges throughout the southern Great Plains of the United States into Mexico
(Hubbs et al. 1991).
Texas distribution:
Occurs throughout Texas (Hubbs et al. 1991). Warren et al. (2000) listed the
following drainage units for distribution of red shiners in
the state: Red River (from the mouth upstream to and including the Kiamichi
River), Sabine Lake (including minor coastal drainages west to Galveston
Bay), Galveston Bay (including minor coastal drainages west to mouth of
Brazos River), Brazos River, Colorado River, San Antonio Bay (including
minor coastal drainages west of mouth of Colorado River to mouth of Nueces
River), Nueces River.
[Additional literature
noting collection of this species from Texas locations includes, but is not
limited to the following: Hubbs (1957); King et al. (1985); Linam et al.
(1994); Matthews (1995); Richardson and Gold (1995); Gido et al. (1999);
Bonner and Wilde (2002); Durham and Wilde (2006).]
Abundance/Conservation status (Federal, State, Non-governmental
organizations):
Currently stable in the
southern United States (Warren et al. 2000). Riggs and Bonn (1959) reported
red shiners to be the most abundant minnow in Lake Texoma,
Oklahoma-Texas; however Matthews and Marsh-Matthews (2007) reported that the
species has since been extirpated from severeal direct tributaries of Lake
Texoma. In August 1998 – July 1989 (no collections made in May 1989)
collections from Sister Grove Creek (Trinity River basin), Texas, red
shiners were one of the five most abundant species (Meador and Matthews
1992). Bonner and Wilde (2000) noted that this species, which occurred
infrequently in the Canadian River in 1954-1955, has increased in abundance
and was one of the two species that composed 90% of the fish assemblage in
1995-1996; this apparently related to post-impoundment conditions.
Habitat Associations
Macrohabitat: Rivers,
streams, creeks in pools and riffles (Hubbs et al. 1953; Cross 1967;
Matthews 1980); reservoirs (Riggs and Bonn 1959; Pflieger 1975).
Mesohabitat: Often
most abundant minnow in low-gradient habitats, especially backwaters, creek
mouths and medium-sized streams with sand and silt substrates; quiet, shallow
backwaters; however during breeding season in central Texas larger males and
females were found in faster flowing areas at the bases of raceways and
riffles (Farringer et al. 1979). Found in pools and slow-flowing riffles
throughout the Guadalupe drainage (Hubbs et al. 1953).
Red shiners are tolerant of siltation and frequent high turbidity
(Cross 1967). In Lake Texoma, Oklahoma-Texas, this species is taken along almost all
shorelines; common in headwaters and tailwaters (Riggs and Bonn 1959). Red
shiners have been found in some clear-water upland streams of the Edwards
Plateau, Texas, these having substantial flow (Matthews 1987).
Temperature, current speed, and water depth were factors that had
greatest influence on habitat selection; red shiners avoided highly acidic water in the field, and
preferred a pH of 7.1-7.4 in the laboratory (Matthews and Hill 1979).
Matthews (1986) found that no significant differences or clinal variation in
critical thermal maximum, 35.9-36.3°C (96.6-97.3°F) at acclimation temperature of 21°C
(69.8°F),
exist among populations representing all major river systems occupied by
this species across a 1100 km north-south span of its range. For fish
acclimated at 30°C (86°F), Rutledge and Beitinger (1989) reported critical thermal
maxima of 35.4-39.6°C (95.7-103.4°F).
Biology
Spawning season:
Mid-April – September, in Oklahoma and Texas (Farringer et al 1979).
Spawning location:
Occurs most frequently on clean gravel riffles, or on submerged objects,
such as tree roots and logs, where the eggs are deposited in crevices (Cross
1967; Pflieger 1975; Minckley 1972). Cross (1967) observed spawning over
substrates varying from gravel to sand to mud. Pflieger (1975) observed
spawning near the surface over beds of submerged aquatic plants, in clear
ponds. Gale (1986) reported that spawning females preferred 2-3 mm
(0.08-0.12 in) crevice
sites. Minckley (1959) described spawning over green sunfish (Lepomis
cyanellus) and orangespotted sunfish (L. humilis) nests.
Spawning may also occur in midwater as the male and female swim
through the water column (Minckley 1972). In the Brazos River, we observed
red shiners spawning on drift nets placed in shallow water during the
night. In the Rio Grande, we found a spawning aggregate of red shiners (20–30 individuals) in a narrow and shallow riffle with gravel and cobble
substrate. Adhesive eggs were found on the underside of cobble stones.
Reproductive strategy:
Nonguarders; brood hiders; speleophils (crevice spawners; Simon 1999). Male
established territory around crevice and made display passes along the
spawning site, his body undulating or vibrating with bright red fins
extended; occasionally male swam toward females in an effort to direct them
to the crevice; male flicked fins forward every few seconds as he approached
and circled females; courtship may be lengthy, lasting hours, with female
revisiting spawning site over 200 times prior to egg release; male swam
above female during spawning passes over horizontal crevice; female
contorted violently while when eggs were expelled; eggs were sprayed into
crevices; first expulsion may be
followed by another pass and expulsion (Gale 1986).
Females produce sound to attract the males (Delco 1960).
Fecundity: Females
released up to 16 batches per day with up to 71 eggs per batch; average
clutch size 585 eggs; pair may spawn 5-19 clutches over the reproductive
season (Gale 1986). In Iowa, 485-684 eggs per
gravid female (Laser and Carlander 1971).
Age at maturation:
Between 24-30 mm (0.94-1.18 in) SL (Hubbs and Ortenburger 1929; Cross 1950; Laser and
Carlander 1971; Farringer et al 1979; Marsh-Matthews et al. 2002). However,
some individuals reach sexual maturity at age 0 (Marsh-Matthews et al.
2002).
Longevity: Up to three
years (Carlander 1969; Laser and Carlander 1971; Farringer et al 1979;
Pflieger 1975). In the lower Brazos River, Texas, the population consisted
of at least four age groups (age 0, 1, 2, and 3; Winemiller et al. 2004).
Food habits: Goldstein
and Simon (1999) list first and second trophic classifications for this
species as invertivore/herbivore and benthic, respectively; trophic mode:
grazer. Main food items include terrestrial and aquatic insects, and algae
(Lewis and Gunning 1959, as C. whipplei; Carlander 1969; Laser and
Carlander 1971; Harwood 1972; Goldstein and Simon 1999). In Lake Texoma,
Oklahoma-Texas, fish were omnivorous feeding mostly on insects, but
opportunistically seized any item available in the average size range; diet
includes aquatic and terrestrial insects as well as sediment
(Hale 1963).
Growth and population
structure: In Kansas, age groups 0 – III reported to range from 25-30 mm
(0.98-1.18 in)
SL, 30-40 mm (1.18-1.57 in) SL, 40-50 mm (1.57-2.00 in) SL, and 50-60 mm
(2.00-2.36 in) SL, respectively; in Oklahoma,
age group 0 reported to range from 12-19 mm (0.47-0.78 in) SL in July (Carlander 1969). In
Iowa, Laser and Carlander (1971) reported total length for age group 0 – II
fish as 17-35 mm (0.67-1.38 in), 37-65 mm (1.46-2.56 in), and 69-75 mm
(2.72-2.95 in), respectively. Growth in new
impoundments is more rapid than in streams (Pflieger 1975). In the lower
Brazos River, Texas, age-0 fish (year class 2004) were first collected in
August 2004 and were <25 mm (0.98 in) in length; except for age-0 fish,
representatives of each age group were collected throughout the year
(Winemiller et al. 2004).
Phylogeny and morphologically similar fishes:
One subspecies, Maravillas
red shiner (C. l. blairi), was reported form Maravillas Canyon, Big
Bend region of the Rio Grande. C. l. blairi now considered extinct
(Miller et al. 1989). Small Cyprinella lutrensis may be difficult to
distinguish from C. venusta (blacktail shiner), especially when
collected from turbid water; C. lutrensis has lower lateral line
scale counts (generally less than 35 vs. 35 or more), and a deeper body; C.
venusta has 8 anal soft fin rays and a distinct caudal spot (Ross 2001). C.
lutrensis will hybridize with C. venusta in areas of common
geographic range; hybrids appear to be intermediate between parent species
in shape and color (Hubbs and Strawn 1956; Riggs and Bonn 1959; Smith 1979).
C. lutrensis similar to C. lepida (plateau shiner) but C.
lepida breeding male has green back, yellow-purple side, purple bar on
side of gold-orange head, and yellow-orange fins. C. lutrensis also
similar to C. proserpina (proserpine shiner) but C. proserpina
has black stripe along side, and black stripe on chin and throat;
subterminal mouth; and yellow to orange (on male) fins (Page and Burr 1991).
Host Records:
Myxosporidan:
Myoxsoma cyprini sp. N., reported from Oklahoma (Spall 1974). From
Nebraska, the invasive Asian fish tapeworm, Bothriocephalus acheilognathi
(Choudhury et al. 2006), and Rhabdochona canadensis (Nematoda:
Rhabdochonidae; Bargur and Janovy 1994).
Commercial or Environmental
Importance
Cross (1967)
noted that the species is generally most numerous where few other kinds of
fish occur. Although widespread, tolerant of harsh conditions, and highly
invasive, red shiners have been extipated from or declined
sharply in six of seven creeks that are direct tributaries of Lake Texoma,
Oklahoma-Texas; this possibly influenced by habitat modification and
predation (Matthews and Marsh-Matthews 2007).
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