species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of small freshwater fish, belonging to several
genera
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...
of the family
Cyprinidae
Cyprinidae is a family of freshwater fish commonly called the carp or minnow family, including the carps, the true minnows, and their relatives the barbs and barbels, among others. Cyprinidae is the largest and most diverse fish family, and t ...
and in particular the subfamily
Leuciscinae
Leuciscinae is a subfamily of freshwater Actinopterygii, ray-finned fishes belonging to the Family (biology), family Leuciscidae, which includes the fishes known as daces, chubs, shiners and minnows. The fishes in this subfamily are mainly found i ...
. They are also known in Ireland as pinkeens.
While the common name can refer to a range of taxa, smaller fish in the subfamily Leusciscinae are considered by anglers to be "true" minnows.
Types of minnows
Bluntnose minnow (''Pimephales notatus''): The bluntnose minnow is a primary bait fish for Northern America, and has a very high tolerance for variable water qualities, which helps its distribution throughout many regions. The snout of the bluntnose minnow overhangs the mouth, giving it the bluntnose. There is a dark lateral line which stretches from the opercle to the base of the tail, where a large black spot is located. The average size of the adult is approximately .
Common shiner (''Notropis cornutus)'': These fish are one of the most common type of bait fish and are almost exclusively stream dwellers. The common shiner can be identified by the nine rays on its anal fin and terminal mouth. This minnow is typically bluish silver on the sides and greenish blue on the back, save for breeding season in which case the male gains a rose colored tail and anal fin. The shiner grows about within one year and reach a size of at adulthood. ''Notropis potteri'' is known as the chub shiner.
Common emerald shiner (''Notropis atherinoides atherinoides''): Common shiners are most abundant in the
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...
of North America, primarily Lake Erie. The name of the emerald shiner comes from the greenish emerald band that expands from the back of the gill cover to the tail. This type of minnow has a short, rounded snout, the only difference between the common emerald shiner and the silver shiner is that the silver shiner has a longer snout and a larger eye. These fish grow to an average length of about 6 cm. This is one of the most common bait fish used in the Lake Erie region of Ohio and many fishermen hold it over all other bait.
* Cheat minnow, a species in the genus '' Pararhinichthys''
* Cutlips minnow, a species in the genus '' Exoglossum''
* Desert minnows, fishes in the genus '' Dionda''
* Eurasian minnows, fishes in the genus '' Phoxinus''
* Fathead minnow (rosy-red minnow), a species in the genus '' Pimephales''
*
Loach minnow
The loach minnow (''Tiaroga cobitis'') is a species of freshwater Actinopterygii, ray-finned fish belonging to the Family (biology), family Leuciscidae, the shiners, daces and minnows. It is the only species in the monospecific genus ''Tiaroga''. ...
, a species of the genus '' Rhinichthys''
* Balkan minnows, of the genus ''
Pelasgus
In Greek mythology, Pelasgus (, ''Pelasgós'' means "ancient") was the eponymous ancestor of the Pelasgians, the mythical inhabitants of Greece who established the worship of the Dodonaean Zeus, Hephaestus, the Cabeiri, and other divinities. In the ...
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands (; ), commonly referred to as The Falklands, is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and from Cape Dub ...
northern pike
The northern pike (''Esox lucius'') is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus ''Esox'' (pikes). They are commonly found in brackish water, moderately salty and fresh waters of the Northern Hemisphere (''i.e.'' holarctic in distribution). T ...
, ('' Esox lucius''), also called "minnow" for the little size.
* the minnows of the deep ('' Cyclothone sp.''), small bioluminescent bristlemouth fish approximately long
As food
While primarily used for bait, minnows can also be eaten directly by humans. Some Native American cultures have used minnows as food. If minnows are small enough, they can be eaten whole.
Threats and conservation issues
Generally, minnows breed with the slightest rainfall and within a wide temperature range. Contrary to the long-standing presumptions, climate change poses 'negligible' threat to minnows' reproduction. Minnows are also flexible in attaining pre-spawning fitness, which makes them avoid 'skipped spawning' decisions while facing climatic variabilities.