Common Shiner
Encyclopedia
The Common Shiner is a fish found in North America
. They average in length between 2½ to 4 inches.
In comparison with other Notropis, the Common Shiner's head, eyes, and mouth are larger.
, although some males will make their own small nests. Gravel
in riffle
s is also possible. Once the eggs are ready the male guards the nesting site.
Common Shiners are known to hybridize with other shiner species.
and chain pickerel
) and birds (i.e. mergansers and kingfisher
s).
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. They average in length between 2½ to 4 inches.
Description
The Common Shiner is silvery colored (sometimes bronze) and has an "olive back with a dark dorsal stripe."In comparison with other Notropis, the Common Shiner's head, eyes, and mouth are larger.
Habitat
The Common Shiner can be found in rivers and streams, usually in the faster pools. It can also be found in ponds and lakes.Breeding
Common shiners spawn in spring, usually over the nest of a creek chub, river chub, or fallfishFallfish
The Fallfish, Semotilus corporalis, is a species in the family Cyprinidae, order Cypriniformes. It is found in the northeastern United States and eastern Canada, where it inhabits streams, rivers, and lake margins. It is fished as a game fish but opinions vary as to its edibility. As far as a...
, although some males will make their own small nests. Gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
in riffle
Riffle
A Riffle is a short, relatively shallow and coarse-bedded length of stream over which the stream flows at higher velocity and higher turbulence than it normally does in comparison to a pool....
s is also possible. Once the eggs are ready the male guards the nesting site.
Common Shiners are known to hybridize with other shiner species.
Predators
Predators of the Common Shiner include fish (such as the smallmouth bassSmallmouth bass
The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...
and chain pickerel
Chain pickerel
The chain pickerel, Esox niger , is a species of freshwater fish in the pike family of order Esociformes. The chain pickerel and the american pickerel belong to the Esox genus of pikes.-Range:...
) and birds (i.e. mergansers and kingfisher
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
s).