Speckled dace
Encyclopedia
The speckled dace also known as the spotted dace and the carpita pinta, is a member of the carp family. It is found in temperate freshwater in North America
, from Sonora
to British Columbia
.
Canada
is the northern limit of the speckled dace's distribution, and there it is found only in isolated parts of the Kettle
and Granby River
s. It is possible that, along with the Salish sucker
(Catostomus sp.), the speckled dace was one of the first fish to recolonize the rivers of British Columbia following the Ice Age
. It is believed that spawning
in Canada occurs once a year during the summer in fish older than two years. During breeding, many males often accompany a single female who broadcasts adhesive eggs over the gravelly streambed. Each female produces between 200 and 500 eggs. Speckled dace are omnivorous, feeding upon filamentous algae
and other plant material, bottom-dwelling aquatic insects and zooplankton
.
Canadian populations of the fish were last sampled in 1977, and then only 400 individuals were collected. Few of the fish caught were adults, suggesting that speckled dace mortality may be high. However, not enough data is available to determine accurately whether the population is self-sustaining or in decline. In Canada, the speckled dace is threatened by its limited habitat and by seasonal flooding.
This is a resilient fish used often as bait.
There are several subspecies, including:
length of 4-5 inches
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...
, from Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
to British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.
Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
is the northern limit of the speckled dace's distribution, and there it is found only in isolated parts of the Kettle
Kettle River (Columbia River)
The Kettle River is a tributary of the Columbia River in northeastern Washington in the United States and southeastern British Columbia in Canada. Its drainage basin is large, of which are in Canada and in the United States.-Course:...
and Granby River
Granby River
The Granby River is a tributary of the Kettle River in British Columbia, Canada, joining the Kettle just north of the US-Canada border at the town of Grand Forks...
s. It is possible that, along with the Salish sucker
Longnose sucker
The longnose sucker, Catostomus catostomus, is a freshwater species of fish inhabiting cold, clear waters in North America from northern USA to the top of the continent. In addition, it is one of two species of sucker to inhabit Asia, specifically the rivers of eastern Siberia...
(Catostomus sp.), the speckled dace was one of the first fish to recolonize the rivers of British Columbia following the Ice Age
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
. It is believed that spawning
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
in Canada occurs once a year during the summer in fish older than two years. During breeding, many males often accompany a single female who broadcasts adhesive eggs over the gravelly streambed. Each female produces between 200 and 500 eggs. Speckled dace are omnivorous, feeding upon filamentous algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
and other plant material, bottom-dwelling aquatic insects and zooplankton
Zooplankton
Zooplankton are heterotrophic plankton. Plankton are organisms drifting in oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water. The word "zooplankton" is derived from the Greek zoon , meaning "animal", and , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter"...
.
Canadian populations of the fish were last sampled in 1977, and then only 400 individuals were collected. Few of the fish caught were adults, suggesting that speckled dace mortality may be high. However, not enough data is available to determine accurately whether the population is self-sustaining or in decline. In Canada, the speckled dace is threatened by its limited habitat and by seasonal flooding.
This is a resilient fish used often as bait.
There are several subspecies, including:
- R. o. lethoporus - Independence Valley speckled dace
- R. o. nevadensis - Ash Meadows speckled dace
- R. o. oligoporus - Clover Valley speckled dace
- R. o. thermalis - Kendall Warm Springs dace
length of 4-5 inches