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

Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas

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 45 bioassessment sites, 0 rapid fish bioassessment sites, 11 fisheries assessment sites, and 1 fisheries presence-only assessment site. In total, it was collected at 57 distinct sites, or 3.8% of the 1513 total sites monitored by the bioassessment program. It is the 64th most commonly collected species.

The Golden Shiner was collected in 69 bioassessment sampling sessions and 11 fisheries assessment sessions. It was present in 0 rapid bioassessment sessions and 1 presence-only session.

The biological assessment program has collected a total of 1,084 individual Golden Shiner specimens, ranking it the #63 most collected fish.

Species Characteristics

A large, slab-sided minnow. The body is dark green above with olive sides, brassy belly, and a distinctive golden sheen. Golden Shiners have three easily distinguishable characteristics. The lateral line is strongly curved below the center line. The anal fin is long, with 11-13 rays. There are no scales covering the belly ridge between the pelvic fins and anus. The mouth is small, terminal and oblique, and the jaw does not extend to the eye or have a barbel. The dorsal fin, inserted behind the pelvic fin, has 8 rays, while the pelvic fins have 9 rays, and the pectoral fins have 15 to 17 rays. A complete lateral line has 45 to 52 scales. Young Golden Shiners are very different from adults, being silvery, not as slab-sided, and have a distinct lateral stripe from eye to caudal fin.

Species Distribution Maps

HUC12 watersheds where this species has been found