FAMILY HIODONTIDAE 89 



Figure 7. Mooneye, Hiodon tergisus, 11 inches long. 



Lake of the Woods, Red Lake, and Red River (Cox, 1897) . It usually 

 frequents large lakes and streams. 



Little is known concerning the spawning habits of this species. It 

 feeds on insects, small Crustacea, and minnows. Forbes and Richardson 

 (1908) report it as a gamy biter on the hook. This species has little 

 value as a food fish but is of some value as forage for game fishes. 



GENUS Amphiodoii Rafinesque 



This genus contains only one species, which ranges from the Ohio 

 River and Oklahoma northward into the prairie region of Canada. It 

 is not present in the Great Lakes drainage. 



GOLDEYE (Northern Mooneye, We-be-chee of the 

 Red Lake Chippewas) 



Am/phiodon alosoides (Rafinesque) 



The goldeye is bluish above; the sides and belly are silvery, with more 

 or less golden luster forward. It is distinguished from the common moon- 

 eye by a sharp ridge, or carina, on the belly anterior to the ventral fins 

 and by the number of rays in the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin has only 9 

 (rarely 10) developed rays, and the anal fin has 30. The anterior 

 margin of the dorsal fin is inserted just above or slightly behind the 

 anterior margin of the anal fin. The maxillary reaches past the middle 

 of the orbit. The lateral line is incomplete and has 56-58 scales. The 

 goldeye reaches a length of over 12 inches. 



The goldeye is found in Lake of the Woods and is common in Red 

 Lake and in the Mississippi River and its larger tributaries. Large quan- 

 tities have been netted and sold commercially from Lake of the Woods 

 and Red Lake, though at present the goldeye is rather scarce in Lake of 

 the Woods. It is an excellent food fish and is often smoked. It feeds on 

 minnows, insects, and snails, and will sometimes bite on a baited hook. 



