Description
Pimephales notatus shows strong sexual dimorphism in body outline and head shape (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993; Page and Burr 1991).
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Phylum | Class | Order | Family | Genus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animalia | Chordata | Osteichthyes | Cypiniformes | Cyprinidae | Pimephales |
Synonyms
Invasion History
Chesapeake Bay Status
| First Record | Population | Range | Introduction | Residency | Source Region | Native Region | Vectors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1908 | Established | Stable | Cryptogenic | Boundary Resident | North America | North America | Fisheries(Discarded Bait,Fisheries Accidental) |
History of Spread
Pimephales notatus (Blunthead Minnow) is native and widespread in the Mississippi and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence basins, in the Arctic Basin (Red River), the central Gulf slope (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993; Page and Burr 1991). On the Atlantic slope, it is introduced in the Connecticut and Housatonic drainages in MA and CT, but was assumed by Smith and Lake (1990) to be native in the Hudson River basin. Its status in the Delaware and Susquehanna basins is uncertain. Overall, P. notatus has been introduced outside its native range in at least 8 states (Fuller et al. 1999).
In the Chesapeake Bay watershed, it is considered 'probably introduced' from Potomac River south by Jenkins and Burkhead: 'It occurs widely on the central Atlantic slope and has been considered native from the Hudson to the James drainage by Hubbs and Lagler (1958). However, the indigenous status in some Atlantic drainages is doubtful. 'The distribution of the Bluntnose Minnow is erratic and enigmatic in much of VA. Many of its peculiarities indicate establishment by introduction' (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993). Pimephales notatus was not listed for MD by Uhler and Lugger (1876), and first records for the Bay's tributaries range from 1897 to 1906 (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993). This species is found in the Piedmont and Mountain regions to the Fall-Line, and is known from tidal waters only in the Potomac and Susquehanna (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993; McKeown 1984). It was not listed for the coastal plain of the Bay by Musick (1972a).
James River- Pimephales notatus is considered probably introduced; the first records are in 1928 in the Blue Ridge, and 1949 on the middle Piedmont (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993).
York River- Two individuals of P. notatus were collected (1979 and 1981) in the South and North Anna Rivers in the York drainage (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993).
Rappahannock River - The first record of P. notatus was in 1972; all records are in the upper part of the drainage (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993).
Potomac River- Pimephales notatus was omitted 'by error' in Smith and Bean's 1898 survey, but 'exceedingly common in the pools of all the swifter streams near the Washington' (Bean and Weed 1911). Jenkins and Burkhead (1993) list it as 'probably introduced' and suggest that it was used as a forage fish from the United States Fish Commission Hatcheries, and introduced inadvertently with many stockings of centrarchids. It was collected at Chain Bridge, at the head of tide in 1908 (U.S. National Museum of Natural History 2001). One tidal record is from Gunston Cove (Fort Belvoir) (Ernst et al. 1995).
Patuxent River - Pimephales notatus is confined to the upper Piedmont and was rare (Mansueti 1950). It has not been found in the estuary (Jug Bay Westlands Sanctuary 1996).
Susquehanna River- Pimephales notatus was not reported by Cope (1879) or Bean (1893) for this river; the first record was by Fowler (1906). It has been found below the Conowingo Dam (McKeown 1984). 'This species is extensively distributed in the Susquehanna and hence would seem native', despite the late date of the first record (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993). However, its absence in two previous PA surveys is suspicious.
Upper Bay and Tributaries - P. notatus is not known from the Bay proper, but is common in Piedmont tributaries on the Western shore, including the Bush and Gunpowder systems (Boward et al. 1997a; Boward et al. 1997b; Lee et al. 1976; Lee et al. 1980; Lee et al. 1981).
Delaware River - The first record of P. notatus is from the head of tide at Trenton NJ (Abbott 1874), but this minnow is rare in tidal waters (Hastings and Good 1977; Horwitz 1986). It was considered native 'with debate' by Mihursky (1962), cited by Jenkins and Burkhead (1993).
History References - Abbott 1874; Bean 1893; Bean and Weed 1915; Bielo 1963; Boward et al. 1997a; Boward et al. 1997b; Cope 1879; Ernst et al. 1995; Fowler 1906; Hastings and Good 1977; Horwitz 1986; Jenkins and Burkhead 1993; Lee 1976; Lee et al. 1980; Lee et al. 1981; Mansueti 1950; McKeown 1984; Musick 1972a; Uhler and Lugger 1876; U.S. National Museum of Natural History 2001
Invasion Comments
Vector(s) of Introduction- Pimephales notatus is a widely used baitfish, and probably has had widespread accidental introductions (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993). Jenkins and Burkhead (1993) suggest that it was introduced accidentally as a forage fish from the United States Fish Commission Hatcheries, and introduced inadvertently with many stockings of centrarchids (sunfishes).
Ecology
Environmental Tolerances
| For Survival | For Reproduction | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Maximum | Minimum | Maximum | |
| Temperature (ºC) | 0.0 | 33.0 | 19.0 | 31.0 |
| Salinity (‰) | 0.0 | 0.0 | ||
| Oxygen | ||||
| pH | ||||
| Salinity Range | fresh-oligo |
Age and Growth
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Adult Size (mm) | ||
| Typical Adult Size (mm) | ||
| Maximum Adult Size (mm) | ||
| Maximum Longevity (yrs) | ||
| Typical Longevity (yrs |
Reproduction
| Start | Peak | End | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reproductive Season | |||
| Typical Number of Young Per Reproductive Event |
|||
| Sexuality Mode(s) | |||
| Mode(s) of Asexual Reproduction |
|||
| Fertilization Type(s) | |||
| More than One Reproduction Event per Year |
|||
| Reproductive Startegy | |||
| Egg/Seed Form |
Impacts
Economic Impacts in Chesapeake Bay
Pimephales notatus (Bluntnose minnow) is frequently reared commercially as a baitfish, and is important as food for sportfish in nontidal waters, and may have been introduced to the Potomac as a forage fish for United States Fish Commission hatcheries (Jenkins and Burkhead 1993). However, this minnow is very rare in tidal waters and of no economic importance in the Bay proper.
References- Jenkins and Burkhead 1993
Economic Impacts Outside of Chesapeake Bay
Pimephales notatus (Bluntnose minnow) is widely reared as a baitfish, and is generally important as a food for gamefish in rivers and streams (Carlander 1969). It has been introduced to non-native drainages in at least 8 states (Fuller et al. 1999).
References- Carlander 1969; Fuller et al. 1999
Ecological Impacts on Chesapeake Native Species
Pimephales notatus (Bluntnose Minnow) is abundant in Chesapeake Bay tributaries above the Fall-Line and may be important there as an invertebrate predator and forage fish. However, it is only a stray in tidal fresh water (Ernst et al. 1995; Horwitz 1986; Jenkins and Burkhead 1993).
References- Ernst et al. 1995; Horwitz 1986; Jenkins and Burkhead 1993
Ecological Impacts on Other Chesapeake Non-Native Species
Pimephales notatus (Bluntnose Minnow) is abundant in Chesapeake Bay tributaries above the Fall-Line. It is a possible competitor of introduced cyprinids (Notropis buccatus (Silverjaw Minnow); Notropis volucellus (Mimic Shiner) and P. promelas(Fathead Minnow), and a likely prey of introduced gamefish, but is only a stray in tidal fresh water (Ernst et al. 1995; Horwitz 1986; Jenkins and Burkhead 1993).
References- Ernst et al. 1995; Horwitz 1986; Jenkins and Burkhead 1993
References
Bean, Barton A.; Weed, Alfred C. (1911) Recent additions to the fish fauna of the District of Columbia, Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 24: 171-174Bean, Tarleton H. (1893) The fishes of Pennsylvania, In: (Eds.) . , Harrisburg PA. Pp.
Bielo, Robert J. (1963) A fishery investigation of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, In: (Eds.) . , Newark. Pp.
Carlander, Kenneth D. (1969) Handbook of freshwater fishery biology. Vol. 1., In: (Eds.) . , Ames. Pp.
Cope, Edward Drinker (1879) The Fishes of Pennsylvania, In: (Eds.) Report of the State Commisioners of Fisheries. , Harrisburg. Pp.
Ernst, Carl H.; Wilgenbusch, James C.,; Morgan, Donald L.; Boucher, Timothy P.; Sommerfield, Mark (1995) Fishes of Fort Belvoir, Virginia, Maryland Naturalist 39: 1-60
Fowler, Henry W. (1906) Pimephales notatus in the lower Susquehanna, The American Naturalist 40: 743
Fuller, Pam. L.; Nico, Leo; Williams, J. D. (1999) Nonindigenous fishes introduced into inland waters of the United States, , Bethesda MD. Pp.
Hastings, Robert W.; Good, Ralph E. (1977) Population analysis of the fishes of a freshwater tidal tributary of the lower Delaware River, Bulletin of the New Jersey Academy of Science 22: 13-20
Horwitz, Richard J. (1986) Fishes of the Delaware estuary in Pennsylvania., In: Majundar, S.K., Brenner, F. J., Rhoads, A. F.(Eds.) Endangered and Threatened Species Programs in Pennsylvania.. , Philadelphia. Pp. 177-201
Jenkins, Robert E.; Burkhead, Noel M. (1993) Freshwater fishes of Virginia., , Bethesda, MD. Pp.
Lee, David S. (1976) Aquatic zoogeography of Maryland, Atlantic Naturalist 31: 147-158
Lee, David S.; Gilbert, Carter R.; Hocutt, Charles H.; Jenkins, Robert E.; McAllister, Don E.; Stauffer, Jay R. (1980) Atlas of North American Freshwater Fishes, , Raleigh. Pp.
Lee, David S.; Platania, S. P.; Gilbert, Carter R.; Franz, Richard; Norden, Arnold (1981) A revised list of the freshwater fishes of Maryland and Delaware, Proceedings of the Southeastern Fishes Council 3: 1-9
Mansueti, Romeo J. (1950) An ecological and distributional study of the fishes of the Patuxent River watershed, Maryland, , College Park, Maryland. Pp.
McKeown, Paul E. (1984) Additions to ichthyofauna of the Susquehanna River with a checklist of fishes of the Susquehanna River drainage below Conowingo Dam, Proceedings of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science 58: 187-192
Musick, J. A.; Wiley, Martin L. (1972) Fishes of Chesapeake Bay and the adjacent coastal plain, Special Scientific Report, Virginia Institute of Marine Science 65: 175-212
Page, Lawrence M.; Burr, Brooks M. (1991) Freshwater Fishes., , Boston. Pp.
Renfro, William C. (1959) Survival and migration of fresh-water fishes in saltwater, Texas Journal of Science 11: 172-180
1996-2014 NMNH Fish Collection Database.. http://collections.nmnh.si.edu/search/fishes/
Uhler, P. R.; Lugger, Otto (1876) Report of Commisioners of Fisheries of Maryland, , Annapolis. Pp.