Virgin spinedace

Taxobox
name = Virgin spinedace
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Cypriniformes
familia = Cyprinidae
genus = "Lepidomeda"
species = "L. mollispinis"
binomial = "Lepidomeda mollispinis"
binomial_authority = Miller & Hubbs, 1960

The Virgin spinedace, "Lepidomeda mollispinus", is a cyprinid fish of the Virgin River, a tributary of the Colorado River in the United States.

This spinedace is overall silvery in color, with a brassy sheen and a pattern of sooty blotches or speckles on each side. The dorsal fin has 8 rays, the first two of which are spiny, the second being longer than the frontmost one. The anal fin can have 8-10 rays, with 9 as the most usual number. Breeding males are more brightly colored, developing a band on the anal fin, orange to red shades on the paired fins, and a spot of red or gold color at the top of the gill slit. Length can reach 15 cm (6 in), but most adults are 10 cm (4 in).

They are omnivorous, with a diet of primarily aquatic insects.

Habitat is clear water about 1 meter (3 ft) deep, preferably close to cover, such as overhanging shrubs or banks, near vegetation, and over sand or gravel. They prefer slow water in areas that do not experience heavy flooding. They can tolerate water temperatures of 85 deg F or higher, a useful ability in the summer when the river becomes intermittent and the fish must crowd into isolated pools.

Populations are known at various locations in the Virgin River system, including the North Fork and East Fork of the Virgin River in Zion National Park, the Santa Clara River, Beaver Dam Creek, Ash Creek, and so forth. Although the species has a very restricted range, most of the critical habitat has been protected under a conservation agreement, and it is not listed as endangered.

References

* William F. Sigler and John W. Sigler, "Fishes of Utah" (University of Utah Press, 1996), pp. 93-96
*
* [http://www.r6.fws.gov/PRESSREL/96-05.html 1996 FWS press release on conservation agreement]
* [http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/pdf/virgspin.pdf Details of Utah conservation plan (PDF)]