The Ocmulgee shiner (Cyprinella callisema) is a species of fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is endemic to the United States where it occurs in the Altamaha and Ogeechee river drainages in Georgia.[3][4] It was first described in a book about fishes of upper Georgia. The author, Davis Starr Jordan , is credited with describing  more than 2,500 species of fish in his lifetime. He first described this fish in his book fishes of upper Georgia in 1877.[5]

Ocmulgee shiner
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Subfamily: Leuciscinae
Clade: Pogonichthyinae
Genus: Cyprinella
Species:
C. callisema
Binomial name
Cyprinella callisema
(Jordan, 1877)
Synonyms[2]
  • Episema callisema Jordan, 1877
  • Notropis callisema (Jordan, 1877)

Physical appearance edit

The Ocmulgee Shiner is a slender silver minnow with a blue sheen. Its notable lateral line span the entire length of its body.[6] These minnows can grow to a maximum length of 9 cm [6] It possesses six rayed fins: a forked caudal fin to assist in agile swimming, a pair of pectoral fins for vertical movement, a single dorsal, an anal and pelvic fin to maintain stability. These fins are a faint yellow and mostly translucent. It has a terminal mouth, meaning it is in the front and center of the head

Geographic range and habitat edit

This Georgia native is a subtropical freshwater fish. It is endemic to central Georgia and predominately occupies the Ocmulgee and Oconee river basins.[3] This shiner "Inhabits sandy and rocky runs of small to medium rivers [6]" Its distribution ranges 34°N to 32°N.

Life history edit

The Ocmulgee Shiner belongs to the family Cyprinidae, as all other fish in this family they are egg-layers. Not much is known about their eating habits, but it is assumed that they rely on invertebrates and vegetation.

Status edit

According to the IUCN Red list status shows the likelihood of a species becoming extinct in the future.[7] The Ocmulgee Shiner is a species of least concern and population trends are stable. The last known assessment occurred in 2011.

 
Ocmulgee shiner (Cyprinella callisema)

References edit

  1. ^ NatureServe (2013). "Cyprinella callisema". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013. IUCN: e.T202075A15364543. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202075A15364543.en.
  2. ^ "Cyprinella callisema". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Fishes of Georgia: Fish Species Description". fishesofgeorgia.uga.edu. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  4. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2014). "Cyprinella callisema" in FishBase. February 2014 version.
  5. ^ Jordan, David Starr (2009-05-22). "XXIX.-A Partial Synopsis of the Fishes of Upper Georgia". Annals of the Lyceum of Natural History of New York. 11 (1): 307–377. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1876.tb00086.x. ISSN 0890-6564.
  6. ^ a b c "Cyprinella callisema, Ocmulgee shiner". www.fishbase.se. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  7. ^ "Indigofera tanganyikensis: IUCN SSC East African Plants Red List Authority". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2011-09-03. doi:10.2305/iucn.uk.2022-1.rlts.t179475a1579821.en. Retrieved 2023-11-02.