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Roughhead shiner (Notropis semperasper) — Cyprinidae

Roughhead shiner

Notropis semperasper
Family: Cyprinidae

The Roughhead shiner (Notropis semperasper) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae that grows up to 9 cm.

Length
9 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Open water
Danger
Harmless

Description

The Roughhead shiner is a small minnow (Leuciscidae) from fresh water of the southern United States. The species grows to about 7 cm and has a slender, silvery body; spawning males often colour up. As a schooling fish it swims in clear, flowing rivers and streams and snaps at insects, larvae, small invertebrates and algae. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Roughhead shiner?

The Roughhead shiner has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly silver-grey.

Where does the Roughhead shiner live?

The Roughhead shiner lives in fresh water and is mostly found around open water.

How big does the Roughhead shiner get?

The Roughhead shiner grows to a maximum of about 9 cm. On average the species is around 6 cm.

Is the Roughhead shiner dangerous to humans?

No, the Roughhead shiner is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Ruwkop-shiner sourced
English name
Roughhead shiner sourced
Scientific name
Notropis semperasper
Family
Cyprinidae
Other names
Roughhead shiner verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
9.0 verified
Average length (cm)
5.5 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Open water sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
levensduur_max_jaar
4.0 verified

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Notropis

More from the family Cyprinidae

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