Family: Cyprinidae
The Carps, Minnows, Shiners, & Chubs
Cyprinidae is a rather large family of freshwater fishes that include shiners, chubs, carp, stonerollers, and minnows. The similarities in features that all of these species share is a major reason for their grouping. These freshwater fishes have elongated bodies, a single dorsal fin with 9 or less rays, a fork tail, toothless jaws (sometimes with teeth in their throat), and ventral fins in the abdominal position. Males within the species Nocomis micropogon (river chub), Semotilus atromaculatus (creek chub), and Campostoma anomalum (central stonerollers) develop small tubercles (bumps) on their head during breeding season, which is the reason for their nickname “Horny Head.” Tubercles are a small outgrowth usually on a bone but in this case their head, and are used for defense against other nuptial males within their own species, and mating with the females. Here in Transylvania County we have 12 genera within this group representing 17 species.
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