Bluntnose minnow
(Pimephales notatus)
Taxonomy
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Breeding male bluntnose minnow at nest.
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Identifying Characteristics
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Life History
Pimephales notatus spawns from May-August in its northern habitats (2). At times, several females can share a nest when laying their eggs during the spawning season, and the eggs/nest are guarded by the male. The eggs hatch in about 6-10 days (2). During the breeding season, males develop a darker color and a silver bar behind the opercle. They also grow ~16 bumps in three symmetrical rows on their head (4). Males of Pimephales notatus produce "sounds during aggression" associated with the breeding season, while females do not. The exact mechanism of this sound production is not known (3). |
Geographic Range and Habitat
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Diet
The diet of Pimephales notatus includes algae, detritus, entomostraca, and aquatic insect larvae. It feeds especially on insects that are immature and rarely on fish eggs (1). Since the bluntnose minnow is a small fish, it is prey to many larger fish, such as Northern pike, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass (4).
Conservation Status
The IUCN lists the bluntnose minnow as a species of least concern. This is due to the extent of their range, large population sizes, lack of major threats, and relatively stable population trends over the past decade (6).
The IUCN lists the bluntnose minnow as a species of least concern. This is due to the extent of their range, large population sizes, lack of major threats, and relatively stable population trends over the past decade (6).