Cyprinella sp.
Nueces River shiner
Type Locality
No information
at this time.
Etymology/Derivation of Scientific Name
Cyprinella – small
carp (Scharpf 2005).
Synonymy:
Notropis lutrensis
Hubbs 1951:491.
Notropis lepidus Hubbs
1954:283.
Cyprinella lepida
Matthews (1987); Mayden 1989:58-60; Hubbs et al. 1991:17.
Cyprinella cf.
lepida Warren et al. 2000:15; Scharpf 2005:13.
Cyprinella sp.
Richardson and Gold (1995); Warren et al. (2000); The Nature Conservancy
(2004).
Cyprinella lepida
populations in the Frio and Sabinal rivers are genetically distinct from
those in the Nueces River (Richardson and Gold 1995; Edwards et al. 2004).
Girard (1857) described C. lepida from the Frio River; consequently,
populations in the Frio and Sabinal rivers will retain C. lepida
moniker. Nueces River population currently is referred to as “Cyprinella
sp.” with the common name of Nueces River shiner (Richardson and Gold
1995). Formal acceptance of this name change is pending (American Fisheries
Society Committee on Names of Fishes). Morphological information
reported for Cyprinella lepida by Matthews (1987) primarily contains
information for Cyprinella sp. Nueces River shiner (N = 13
individuals examined), but also includes C. lepida (N
= 4 individuals examined). Morphological information
reported for C. lepida by Mayden (1989) applies to
Cyprinella sp. Nueces River shiner.
Characters
Maximum size: Maximum
size of about 60 mm (2.36 in) SL (Mayden 1989).
Coloration: Mayden (1989) described coloration of individuals from the
Nueces River: peritoneum brownish and/or silvery with speckled melanophores.
Breeding males brilliantly colored with greenish dorsum, lighter overhead.
Dorsolateral scales above dark lateral stripe yellowish-purple or
yellowish-blue from yellowish-scales with purple margins; body much lighter
below lateral stripe. Pigment arranged in distinct diamond-shaped pattern on
lateral body scales. Side of head with golden-orange wash and purple
vertical bar at anterior margin of preopercle; black gular stripe present,
but short, extending to posterior margin of mandible. All fins yellow to
yellowish-orange; dorsal fin heavily pigmented, yellow primarily restricted
to distal edge. Color of females and nonbreeding males is bright, but
considerably less so than that of breeding males: fins are generally clear
to slight yellow with melanophores on rays and membranes only. Lateral
stripe present but more diffuse anteriorly.
Matthews (1987) gave a composite description of peak nuptial coloration
based on individuals from both the Nueces (this population since recognized
as Cyprinella. sp.; Richardson and Gold 1995) and Frio (C. lepida;
4 specimens) river populations; difference in coloration between the two
species is noted: Dorsum of head green; eye orange; narrow bluish or
purplish vertical bar at front of peropercle; opercle gold-orange or yellow;
purple or dark blue scapular bar, wider dorsally and narrowing ventrally
near pectoral base; middorsum anterior to dorsal fin dark green in some;
upper two-thirds of sides distinctly cross-hatched as is typical of
Cyprinella, dark in appearance upper and becoming little pigmented below
the decurved lateral line; scales of upper sides are yellow gold with a
purple-blue posterior border, giving an overall distinctive orange wash
against purple throughout upper sides, strongest anteriorly; dorsal fin with
yellow on distal portions of membranes in some; pectoral, pelvic, and caudal
fins entirely bright yellow, almost canary; anal fin yellow, yellow-orange,
or red-orange; sides often with a dark but diffuse lateral band wide or
wider than eye, fading anteriorly in some; Matthews (1987) indicated that
only Frio River specimens (C. lepida) had red nuptial
coloration at tip of snout.
Counts: Individuals
from the Nueces River: pharyngeal teeth 0,4-4,0; lateral line scales
32-34 (33-34); dorsal fin soft rays 7-8; anal fin soft rays 9-10 (9); pelvic
fin soft rays 8; pectoral fin soft rays 12-14 (13-14)(Mayden 1989).
Mouth position:
Slightly subinferior (Hubbs et al. 1991). Mayden (1989) noted inferior mouth
position for Nueces River specimens.
Body shape: Mayden (1989) described individuals from the Nueces River:
Terete, and only slightly compressed; dorsum slightly convex; head large,
subconical, and convex above, while horizontal below; mouth small, posterior
margin of maxilla to or slightly before orbit margin; snout blunt and
protruding; caudal peduncle short and moderately deep; dorsal fin origin
over to slightly posterior to pelvic fin insertion.
Morphology:
Tubercles on head of dominant male larger on occiput than on snout; dorsal
fin less triangular, last fin ray about one-half length of the longest; first obvious dorsal fin ray a thin splint,
closely attached to the following well developed but unbranched fin ray,
especially at tip; lower lip thin without fleshy lobes; lateral line
usually not decurved, either straight or with a broad arch; premaxillaries
protractile; upper lip separated from skin of snout by a deep groove
continuous across the midline (Hubbs et
al. 1991). Dorsal fin of breeding males from the Nueces River is straight
posteriorly and is not expanded (Mayden 1989). Intestine simple S-shaped loop (Mayden 1989).
Distribution (Native and Introduced)
U.S. distribution:
Found only in Texas (Richardson and Gold 1995; Warren et al. 2000; Edwards
et al. 2004; Scharpf 2005).
Texas distribution:
Upper reaches of the Nueces River of Texas (Richardson and Gold 1995; Warren
et al. 2000; Edwards et al. 2004; Scharpf 2005).
Abundance/Conservation status (Federal, State,
Non-governmental organizations)
Cyprinella sp. listed
as imperiled/critically imperiled (Nueces River, TX; Scharpf 2005);
critically imperiled/imperiled (The Nature Conservancy 2004); vulnerable
(Warren et al. 2000).
Habitat Associations
Macrohabitat: Inhabits
clear, cool, spring-fed headwater creeks (Hubbs 1954; Mayden 1989).
Mesohabitat: No
information at this time.
Biology
Spawning season: No
information at this time.
Spawning habitat: No
information at this time.
Spawning Behavior: No
information at this time.
Fecundity: No
information at this time.
Age at maturation:
No information at this time.
Migration: No
information at this time.
Growth and Population
structure: No information at this time.
Longevity: No
information at this time.
Food habits: No
information at this time.
Phylogeny and morphologically similar fishes
Cyprinella sp. is
similar to the plateau shiner (Cyprinella lepida; Richardson and Gold
1995); C. lepida inhabits the Frio, Sabinal, and upper Guadalupe
Rivers, while Cyprinella sp. is apparently limited to the Nueces
River. Matthews (1987) examined Cyprinella sp. from the Nueces River,
and C. lepida from the Frio River and noted that male nuptial
coloration in C. lepida specimens included red on the tip of the
snout, while that of Cyprinella sp. did not (Matthews 1987;
Richardson and Gold 1995).
Cyprinella sp. is also
similar to the proserpine shiner (C. proserpina), and the red shiner
(C. lutrensis): Cyprinella sp. has a slightly subinferior
mouth; the head is blunt and rounded; snout length plus upper jaw length 17%
or more of standard length; body is slender, with distance between dorsal
and anal origins 24-29% of SL (higher figures for adult males, lower figures
for young females); tubercles on head of high males larger on occiput than
on snout; the black median stripe on chin extends no farther posteriorly
than below eye; and upper jaw length is greater than snout length (Hubbs
1954). C. proserpina differs from Cyprinella sp. in that
tubercles on head of C. proserpina high males are larger on snout
than on occiput; C. proserpina with distinct black median stripe from
the chin to the isthmus, and the snout length is greater than upper jaw
length (Hubbs 1954). The red shiner (C. lutrensis) differs from
Cyprinella sp. in having a more terminal mouth, sharp and
compressed head, snout length plus upper jaw length 17% or less of SL, and
the body is usually deeper with a distance between dorsal origin and anal
origin 26-36% of SL (higher figures for adult males, lower figures for young
females; Hubbs 1954). Differences in nuptial coloration between
Cyprinella sp. and C. lutrensis are apparent: scales of upper
sides on Cyprinella sp. distinctly contrasting with those of C.
lutrensis in that each scale is yellow gold with a purple-blue posterior
border, giving an overall distinctive orange wash against purple throughout
upper sides, strongest anteriorly; none of the fins of Cyprinella sp.
representing the more red coloration of typical C. lutrensis north of
Mexico (Matthews 1987).
Natural hybrid with the
blacktail shiner (Cyprinella venusta) reported from the Nueces River
(Hubbs 1951; Hubbs 1954).
Host Records
No information at this time.
Commercial or Environmental Importance
No information at this time.
References
Edwards,
R.J., G.P. Garrett, and N.L. Allan. 2004. Aquifer-dependent fishes of the
Edwards Plateau region. Chapter 13, pp. 253-268 in: Mace, R.E., E.S.
Angle, and W.F. Mullican, III (eds.). Aquifers of the Edwards Plateau. Texas
Water Development Board. 360 pp.
Girard, C. F. 1857. Researches upon the Cyprinoid fishes inhabiting the
fresh waters of the United States of America, west of the Mississippi
Valley, from specimens in the Museum of the Smithsonian Institution.
Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia (1856)
8(5):165-213.
Hubbs, C.
1951. Observations on the breeding of Dionda episcopa serena in the
Nueces River, Texas. Texas Journal of Science 3:490-492.
Hubbs, C. 1954. Corrected distributional records for Texas fresh-water
fishes. Texas Journal of Science 1954(3):277-291.
Hubbs, C., R.J. Edwards, and G.P. Garrett. 1991. An annotated checklist of
the freshwater fishes of Texas, with keys to identification of species.
Texas Journal of Science, Supplement 43(4):1-56.
Matthews, W.J. 1987. Geographic variation in Cyprinella lutrensis
(Pisces, Cyprinidae) in the United States, with notes on Cyprinella
lepida. Copeia (3):616-637.
Mayden, R.L. 1989. Phylogenetic studies of North American minnows, with
emphasis on the genus Cyprinella (Teleostei: Cypriniformes). Mis.
Publ. Mus. Nat. Hist., Univ. Kansas 80:1-189.
Nature Conservancy, The. 2004. A Biodiversity and Conservation Assessment of
the Edwards Plateau Ecoregion. Edwards Plateau Ecoregional Planning Team,
The Nature Conservancy, San Antonio, TX, USA.
Richardson,
L.R., and J.R. Gold. 1995. Evolution of the Cyprinella lutrensis
species-complex. II. Systematics and biogeography of the Edwards Plateau
shiner, Cyprinella lepida. Copeia 1995(1):28-37.
Scharpf, C. 2005. Annotated checklist of North American freshwater fishes,
including subspecies and undescribed forms, Part 1: Petromyzontidae through
Cyprinidae. American Currents, Special Publication 31(4):1-44.
Warren, M.L.,
Jr., B.M. Burr, S.J. Walsh, H.L. Bart, Jr., R.C. Cashner, D.A. Etnier, B.J.
Freeman, B.R. Kuhajda, R.L. Mayden, H.W. Robison, S.T. Ross, and W.C.
Starnes. 2000. Diversity, Distribution, and Conservation status of the
native freshwater fishes of the southern United States. Fisheries
25(10):7-29.
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