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Wild About Illinois Fishes!

Family Leuciscidae - Minnow Family

Family: Leuciscidae - Minnows have pelvic fins located in the abdominal region instead of on the sides of the fish and only one dorsal fin. Cycloid scales are present on the body but not the head. They have no teeth in the mouth, but teeth are present on a bone in the throat. Minnows tend to be found in streams. The breeding males of many minnow species are brightly colored and may have bumps called breeding tubercles scattered over various body parts. The bluntnose and fathead minnows are two of the few minnow species to exhibit parental care. Some minnows are carnivores; others are herbivores; still others are omnivores.
     central stoneroller (Campostoma anomalum)
     largescale stoneroller (Campostoma oligolepis)
     southern redbelly dance (Chrosomus erythrogaster)
     lake chub (Couesius plumbeus)
     red shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis)
     spotfin shiner (Cyprinella spiloptera)
     blacktail shiner (Cyprinella venusta)
     steelcolor shiner (Cyprinella whipplei)
     silverjaw minnow (Ericymba buccata)
     gravel chub (Erimystax x-punctatus) [state threatened]
     western silvery minnow (Hybognathus argyritis)
     brassy minnow (Hybognathus hankinsoni)
     cypress minnow (Hybognathus hayi) [state endangered]
     Mississippi silvery minnow (Hybognathus nuchalis)
     plains minnow (Hybognathus placitus)
     bigeye chub (Hybopsis amblops) [state threatened]
     pallid shiner (Hybopsis amnis) [state endangered]
     striped shiner (Luxilus chrysocephalus)
     common shiner (Luxilus cornutus)
     ribbon shiner (Lythrurus fumeus)
     redfin shiner (Lythrurus umbratilis)
     sturgeon chub (Macrhybopsis gelida) [state endangered]
     shoal chub (Macrhybopsis hyostoma)
     sicklefin chub (Macrhybopsis meeki)
     silver chub (Macrhybopsis storeriana)
     hornyhead chub (Nocomis biguttatus)
     river chub (Nocomis micropogon) [state endangered]
     golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas)
     pugnose shiner (Notropis anogenus) [state endangered]
     emerald shiner (Notropis atherinoides)
     river shiner (Notropis blennius)
     bigeye shiner (Notropis boops) [state endangered]
     ghost shiner (Notropis buchanani)
     ironcolor shiner (Notropis chalybaeus) [state threatened]
     bigmouth shiner (Notropis dorsalis)
     blackchin shiner (Notropis heterodon) [state threatened]
     blacknose shiner (Notropis heterolepis) [state endangered]
     spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius)
     taillight shiner (Notropis maculatus) [state endangered]
     Ozark minnow (Notropis nubilus) [state threatened]
     rosyface shiner (Notropis rubellus)
     silverband shiner (Notropis shumardi)
     sand shiner (Notropis stramineus)
     weed shiner (Notropis texanus) [state endangered]
     mimic shiner (Notropis volucellus)
     channel shiner (Notropis wickliffi)
     pugnose minnow (Opsopoeodus emiliae)
     suckermouth minnow (Phenacobius mirabilis)
     bluntnose minnow (Pimephales notatus)
     fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)
     bullhead minnow (Pimephales vigilax)
     eastern blacknose dace (Rhinichthys atratulus)
     longnose dace (Rhinichthys cataractae)
     western blacknose dace (Rhinichthys obtusus)
     creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus)