Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cypriniformes (Carps) >
Leuciscidae (Minnows) > Pogonichthyinae
Etymology: Mylocheilus: Greek, mylo = mill + Greek, cheilos =lip (Ref. 45335); caurinus: Species name taken after caurus which means northwest wind; named caurinus --- northwestern (Ref. 1998).
More on author: Richardson.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; brackish; demersal. Temperate; 59°N - 40°N
North America: Nass (Pacific Slope) and Peace River (Arctic basin) systems in British Columbia, Canada south to Columbia River drainage in Oregon and Idaho, USA; also in Vancouver, British Columbia and Mackenzie River drainage (Arctic basin) in Northwest Territories, Canada (Ref. 86798). Sometimes occurs at Spanish Banks (Ref. 4569).
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 24.9 range ? - ? cm
Max length : 36.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 86798); common length : 19.8 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 1998); common length :22.5 cm SL (female)
Dorsal soft rays (total): 8; Anal soft rays: 8. Lateral line complete with 66-84 scales; dorsal fin with 8 rays; anal fin with 8 rays; molarlike pharyngeal teeth 1,5--5,1; slender body, somewhat compressed; large eye; long rounded snout; barbel at corner of slightly subterminal mouth; large forked caudal fin; dorsal-fin origin over or in front of pelvic-fin origin; axillary process at pelvic-fin base; dark gray-brown to green above; 2 dark stripes, lower one ending in front of anal fin, on silver yellow side; yellow to brown fins; and large male with red on side, belly mouth, gill cover and pectoral-fin base (Ref. 86798).
Inhabits lakes and slow-flowing areas of small to medium rivers. Common around vegetation (Ref. 86798). Forms schools. Can withstand brackish waters for a limited period (Ref. 1998). Newly hatched individuals school near the shore, moving into deeper water in the summer (Ref. 4569). Feeds mainly on aquatic insects and its larvae and some terrestrial insects (Ref. 10288); but also on planktonic crustaceans, mollusks, and small fishes (Ref. 1998). Preyed upon by fish-eating birds and mammals (Ref. 1998). Utilized as game fish and as food in the past (Ref. 1998).
Spawning fish come close to shore in groups of 50-400. Groups are about 25 to 100 feet apart from each other. Females are crowded by 2 or more males into 1 or 2 inches of water by the shoreline and eggs and sperms are released.
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr, 2011. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 663p. (Ref. 86798)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: public aquariums
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 1.0000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00871 (0.00395 - 0.01919), b=3.06 (2.88 - 3.24), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.49 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tm=4).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (26 of 100).
