Iowa DNR
BioNet
River & Stream Biological Monitoring
Fish and Benthic Macroinvertebrate Surveys
Physical Habitat Assessments

Red Shiner Cyprinella lutrensis

Family
Leuciscidae (Minnows)
Tolerance
Tolerant
Trophic Class
Omnivore
Is Exotic to Iowa?
False
Is Lithophilous Spawner?
False
Is Hybrid?
False
State Listing Status
Not Listed
Assessment Program Statistics

This species was found at 295 bioassessment sites, 12 rapid fish bioassessment sites, 19 fisheries assessment sites, and 1 fisheries presence-only assessment site. In total, it was collected at 319 distinct sites, or 21.1% of the 1513 total sites monitored by the bioassessment program. It is the 27th most commonly collected species.

The Red Shiner was collected in 561 bioassessment sampling sessions and 19 fisheries assessment sessions. It was present in 12 rapid bioassessment sessions and 1 presence-only session.

The biological assessment program has collected a total of 38,377 individual Red Shiner specimens, ranking it the #14 most collected fish.

Species Characteristics

An extremely slab-sided minnow with a terminal, oblique mouth, which has no barbel. The back is olive-green with silvery sides and a white belly. Edges of the scales on the back and upper sides are outlined with pigment giving it a diamond-shaped look. Color of the spawning male is remarkable and distinctive. The body is pinkish to red and steely-blue color on the back, with the top of the head bright red. A bluish crescent appears behind the opercle and in front of the pectoral fins, the dorsal fin is dark, and the other fins are red or orange. Hooked pharyngeal teeth on sturdy arches are arranged in a 4-4 pattern, but variation of 0, 4-4, l and l, 4-4, 1 have been noted. The dorsal fin has 8 rays and is uniformly pigmented, while the anal fin has 9 rays, the pectoral fins 14, and the pelvic fins 8 rays. A complete and de-curved lateral line has 34 to 35 scales. Tubercles develop on the snout and head.

Species Distribution Maps

HUC12 watersheds where this species has been found