Nocomis biguttatus (Kirtland, 1840)
Hornyhead chub
Nocomis biguttatus
photo by The Native Fish Conservancy

Family:  Leuciscidae (Minnows), subfamily: Pogonichthyinae
Max. size:  26 cm TL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 4 years
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  North America: Mohawk River system in New York, USA west through Great Lakes and Mississippi River basin to Red River drainage (Hudson Bay basin) in Manitoba, Canada and North Dakota, USA, and south to Ohio River drainage; Ozark drainages in Missouri and Arkansas, USA. Isolated populations in lower Kentucky River system in Kentucky, Platte and Cheyenne River systems in Nebraska, Wyoming, and Colorado, and Kansas River in Kansas, USA.
Diagnosis:  Caudal fin red (young) to yellow (adults); other fins yellow to orange; large male with bright red spot behind eye, female with brassy spot ); dark olive to brown above; iridescent green on yellow-brown side; white to light yellow below; dusky iridescent yellow stripe along back; yellow streak above dusky stripe along side and around snout; black caudal spot (all darkest on young); rounded snout; 38-45 scales on lateral line; usually 16-17 scales around caudal peduncle; pharyngeal teeth 1,4-4,1. Breeding male is pink below with pin-orange fins and has many large tubercles on top of head (Ref. 86798).
Biology:  Inhabits rocky pools and runs of creeks and small to medium rivers (Ref. 86798).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 01 March 2012 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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