Northern leatherside chub
Species of fish From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The northern leatherside chub (Lepidomeda copei) is a freshwater ray finned fish in the family Cyprinidae found in the western United States.
| Northern leatherside chub | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Leuciscidae |
| Subfamily: | Plagopterinae |
| Genus: | Lepidomeda |
| Species: | L. copei |
| Binomial name | |
| Lepidomeda copei (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1881) | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Range
Northern leatherside chub range from the upper Snake River system in Idaho and Wyoming to the Weber River in Utah.[2] They have also been introduced into the Colorado River system, such as Strawberry Reservoir and Price River in Utah.[3] However, it is uncertain whether these introductions are northern leatherside chub or southern leatherside chub.[4]
Taxonomy
The northern leatherside chub is morphologically similar to the southern leatherside chub, and both species were formerly considered a single species under the name Gila copei. Both species of leatherside chubs appear to be phylogenetically close to spinedaces (genus Lepidomeda) and the spikedaces (genus Meda).[5] Currently, FishBase classifies northern and southern leatherside chub as distinct species within the genus Lepidomeda.[6] This placement was verified using mtDNA 12S rRNA sequence data.[5][7]
Description
This species is small, reported at up to 15 cm (6 in) in length, but more typically half that size. The body is covered with very small scales over a skin with a leathery texture, inspiring the common name.[2] Overall coloration is bluish dorsally and silver ventrally; males are distinguished by patches of orange-red color on the axils of the paired fins, at the base of the anal fin, and along the lower lobe of the caudal fin, as well as golden-red specks at the upper end of the gill opening, and between eye and upper jaw. Unlike most other minnows, both dorsal and anal fins have eight rays.[2][6] This species also exhibits a fusiform body shape with forked homocercal caudal fins. Although southern and northern leatherside chub are similar, the rostrum of the southern leatherside chub comes to a more defined point than the northern leatherside chub.[8]
Habitat
The northern leatherside chub prefer cooler creeks and rivers with moderate currents. Adults congregate in pools or riffles, while the young favor quiet areas with brush near the shore.[citation needed]
Diet
Both northern and southern leatherside dace are invertivores, consuming both aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates. Taxa of prey include Odonata, Trichoptera, Plecoptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Isopoda, and Amphipoda.[9]
Management
The northern leatherside chub is considered a species of greatest conservation need in Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming.[10][11][12] Across its range, the northern leatherside chub is threatened by habitat degradation caused by water abstraction for irrigation, channelization, damming, urbanization, and poor farming practices which lead to siltation.[1] Additional threats include predation from nonnative brown trout (Salmo trutta) and drought.
References
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