Tennessee Shiner

Tennessee Shiner

The following article is a description of a monitoring plan for the Tennessee shiner, Notropis leuciodus, written for the Ichthyology (EEB 474) course at the University of Tennessee. The Tennessee shiner (Notropis leuciodus), is a North American species of temperate freshwater fish belonging to the Notropis genus of the Cyprinidae family. The Tennessee shiner is a slender species, somewhat rounded in cross section, with a pointed snout, terminal mouth, and relatively large eyes. Breeding males are red-orange throughout the entire body. The Tennessee shiner is commonly found with the telescope shiner, Notropis telescopus, and the bigeye shiner, Notropis boops, with which it may be confused This species of shiner was described by Cope in 1868, and there has been little research done on the species. The natural geographic range is limited to the Green River, Cumberland River, and Tennessee River drainages in the states of Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. The Tennessee Shiner prefers clear, small to medium streams. Current food habits for this species are unknown, due to lack of research conducted on the Tennessee shiner. This species of Notropis reaches reproductive maturity in 1 to 2 years, and fecundity is unknown. Currently, there is little management for this species, and it is not listed on the endangered or threatened species list; however, a specific management plan might be considered to ensure the viability of the species. This paper will discuss the in depth ecology, life history, current management, and some management recommendations for the Tennessee shiner.