Geographic Range
Southern redbelly dace (
Chrosomus erythrogaster
) live in the southeastern Michigan area, from Lake Erie to Ohio. Their range also
includes areas of the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River basins, and the White Arkansas
River drainage areas, all the way down to Tennessee. There are a few records of southern
redbelly dace populations in the Kansas River system and the Upper Arkansas River
drainages as well.
Habitat
Southern redbelly dace prefer small, clear, freshwater streams that are cool in temperature
with a moderate to slow current. They prefer sand, gravel, or mud substrates along
with vegetation and overhangs on the stream banks for hiding.
- Habitat Regions
- freshwater
- Aquatic Biomes
- rivers and streams
Physical Description
Southern redbelly dace are small fish, approximately 5.8 cm in length, with a small
mouth that opens horizontally. Their scales are so small they are nearly unrecognizable
to a casual observer. These fish tend to be an olive green color, which blends into
their environment, although they do have red and yellow stripes on their sides and
black blotches on their dorsal fins. This species has sexually dimorphic coloration;
males are more vibrantly colored, especially on their fins and in their stripes.
- Other Physical Features
- bilateral symmetry
- Sexual Dimorphism
- female larger
- sexes colored or patterned differently
- male more colorful
- sexes shaped differently
Development
Within 8 to 10 days of being fertilized, the embryos hatch in water that is 20.6 to
26.7° C (69 to 80° F) and begin a rapid period of growth into adulthood, which lasts
about a year. The fish begin feeding on newly hatched
brine shrimp
, and within two months, grow to a little over one inch in size.
Reproduction
As mating season approaches, the coloration of sexually mature males becomes more
vibrant, particularly in their fins and in the stripes located on their sides. This
vibrant coloration helps them attract mates. Since southern redbelly dace participate
in polyandrous mating, there is little or no competition between male suitors.
- Mating System
- polyandrous
Breeding takes place when multiple males press up against the female on the bottom
of the stream to stimulate the release of eggs for the males to fertilize. Males have
pearl organs, also known as breeding tubercles, along their anal and pectoral fins
that are used during breeding to stimulate the female to release her eggs. During
the April to June mating period, approximately 200 to 6,000 eggs are expelled as males
and females repeat the breeding ritual. This ritual can be repeated several times
and only takes a few seconds to complete.
- Key Reproductive Features
- seasonal breeding
- sexual
- fertilization
- broadcast (group) spawning
- oviparous
Polyandrous breeding results in mixed paternity, leading to increased variation in
the young. After breeding takes place, the eggs are left in the nest with no parental
care. Larger fish species in their habitat, such as
trout
and
sunfish
, serve as unintentional protectors of the nest by keeping possible predators away.
- Parental Investment
- no parental involvement
Lifespan/Longevity
The average lifespan of this fish is about two years, with only one recorded maximum
lifespan of three years.
Behavior
When southern redbelly dace encounter a threat, such as a predator, these fish school
together rather than dart off alone, improving their chances of survival. Southern
redbelly dace are social and use a chemical alarm signal that warns others of threats
in the area nearby; this chemical also signals fish to school together for protection.
Since southern redbelly dace are so small and vulnerable, this species avoids exposure.
These fish are diurnal feeders.
- Key Behaviors
- natatorial
- diurnal
- motile
- social
Home Range
Southern redbelly dace inhabit any headwater stream (the source of a stream) or stream
bank, as they avoid the faster currents that occur towards the middle of the stream.
As a result, the size of the headwater stream is also their territory size because
they do not travel in faster moving water. This species disperses based on seasonal
flooding that washes some of them out to other areas. Schools in this species include
individuals of all ages and sizes, as the young and old inhabit the same area. Even
though they inhabit the same area, these fish have not been observed displaying any
sort of territorial behavior.
Communication and Perception
Southern redbelly dace are social creatures and will use a chemical alarm signal that
warns others of threats in the area nearby; this chemical also signals the fish to
school together for protection.
Food Habits
Southern redbelly dace tend to feed in schools at the bottom of streams, feeding on
algae, aquatic invertebrates, and detritus. Feeding on the bottom of streams not only
allows them access to their prey, but also protects them from being in immediate reach
of predators. These fish are countershaded, which means the bottom of the fish is
lighter in color than the top side, this helps them avoid predators.
- Primary Diet
- carnivore
-
herbivore
- algivore
- detritivore
- Animal Foods
- insects
- other marine invertebrates
- Plant Foods
- algae
- Other Foods
- detritus
Predation
Southern redbelly dace are preyed on by birds such as
kingfishers
and
herons
, and fish such as
sunfish
and
trout
. Other predators include reptiles such as
snakes
and
turtles
, amphibians such as
bullfrogs
and
salamanders
, and insects like
diving beetles
.
- Anti-predator Adaptations
- aposematic
Ecosystem Roles
Southern redbelly dace are not only prey for larger species in their habitat; they
are also a predatory species, feeding on small invertebrates. As an indicator species,
the presence or absence of southern redbelly dace in streams helps determine the relative
health of a stream. If the water is healthy, these fish, along with other species,
will be thriving. However, if the water is unhealthy, populations of these fish will
show a noticeable decline. This not only works as a pollution indicator, but also
directs fishers to the healthiest populations of game fish.
- Ecosystem Impact
- keystone species
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
The bright colors and docile temperament of southern redbelly dace make them great
aquarium pets. They are also used by fishers as bait fish.
- Positive Impacts
- pet trade
- research and education
Economic Importance for Humans: Negative
Southern redbelly dace have no known negative economic impact on humans.
Conservation Status
Currently, there are no serious threats facing southern redbelly dace, they are listed
as a species of least concern on the IUCN Redlist.
Additional Links
Contributors
Megan L. Morgan (author), Bridgewater College, Brittany L. Ripp (author), Bridgewater College, Stephanie N. Rubino (author), Bridgewater College, Tamara Johnstone-Yellin (editor), Bridgewater College, Leila Siciliano Martina (editor), Texas State University.
- Nearctic
-
living in the Nearctic biogeographic province, the northern part of the New World. This includes Greenland, the Canadian Arctic islands, and all of the North American as far south as the highlands of central Mexico.
- native range
-
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
- freshwater
-
mainly lives in water that is not salty.
- polyandrous
-
Referring to a mating system in which a female mates with several males during one breeding season (compare polygynous).
- seasonal breeding
-
breeding is confined to a particular season
- sexual
-
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals, a male and a female
- fertilization
-
union of egg and spermatozoan
- external fertilization
-
fertilization takes place outside the female's body
- oviparous
-
reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs outside the mother's body.
- natatorial
-
specialized for swimming
- diurnal
-
- active during the day, 2. lasting for one day.
- motile
-
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
- social
-
associates with others of its species; forms social groups.
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- visual
-
uses sight to communicate
- tactile
-
uses touch to communicate
- chemical
-
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
- detritus
-
particles of organic material from dead and decomposing organisms. Detritus is the result of the activity of decomposers (organisms that decompose organic material).
- aposematic
-
having coloration that serves a protective function for the animal, usually used to refer to animals with colors that warn predators of their toxicity. For example: animals with bright red or yellow coloration are often toxic or distasteful.
- keystone species
-
a species whose presence or absence strongly affects populations of other species in that area such that the extirpation of the keystone species in an area will result in the ultimate extirpation of many more species in that area (Example: sea otter).
- pet trade
-
the business of buying and selling animals for people to keep in their homes as pets.
- carnivore
-
an animal that mainly eats meat
- insectivore
-
An animal that eats mainly insects or spiders.
- herbivore
-
An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.
- detritivore
-
an animal that mainly eats decomposed plants and/or animals
- bilateral symmetry
-
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
References
Conservation Commission of Missouri, 2014. "Southern RedBelly Dace" (On-line). Xplor. Accessed March 01, 2014 at http://xplor.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/southern-redbelly-dace .
Conservation Commission of Missouri, 2014. "Southern Redbelly Dace" (On-line). Missouri Department of Conversation. Accessed March 01, 2014 at http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/southern-redbelly-dace .
Froese, R. 1990. " Chrosomus erythrogaste " (On-line). Fishbase. Accessed March 01, 2014 at http://www.fishbase.org/summary/2928 .
Hoyt, R., W. Settles. 1978. The reproductive biology of the southern redbelly dace, Chrosomus erythrogaster Rafinesque, in a spring-fed stream in Kentucky. American Midland Naturalist , 99: 290-298.
Loan-Wisley, A. 2006. "Southern redbelly dace-Chrosomus erythrogaster Rafinesque." (On-line). Iowa Fish Atlas. Accessed March 01, 2014 at http://maps.gis.iastate.edu/iris/fishatlas/IA163593.html .
NatureServe, 2013. "Chrosomus erythrogaster" (On-line). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Accessed March 01, 2014 at http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/202067/0 .
Paulson, N., J. Hatch. 2013. "Northern Redbelly Dace" (On-line). Lake Superior Streams. Accessed March 01, 2014 at http://www.lakesuperiorstreams.org/understanding/nredbellydace.html .
Stasiak, R. 2007. "Southern Redbelly Dace ( Phoxinus erythrogaster ): A Technical Conservation Assessment" (On-line). Prepared for the USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Species Conservation Project. Accessed July 18, 2014 at http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/southernredbellydace.pdf .
Sternburg, J. 2005. "Spawning of the Southern and Northern Redbelly Dace Compared" (On-line). Northern American Native Fishes Association. Accessed March 01, 2014 at http://www.nanfa.org/articles/acredbelly.shtml .
Zehringer, J. 2012. "Southern Red Belly Dace" (On-line). Ohio department of natural resources. Accessed March 01, 2014 at http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/species-guide-index/fish/southern-redbelly-dace .