MINNOW FAMILY (Cyprinidae) 

 Key to the various species of the minnow family found in Maine waters 



1. Upper lip connected with skin of snout by a bridge of tissue across 



which the premaxillary groove does not pass 2 



Upper lip separated from skin of snout by a deep groove continuous 

 across the midline 



2. Snout projecting far beyond the horizontal mouth 



Longnose Dace 

 Rhinkhthys cataractae (Valenciennes) 



Snout scarcely projecting beyond the somewhat oblique mouth 



Blacknose Dace 

 Rhinkhthys atratulus (Hermann) 



3. Maxillary with a barbel requiring care to observe since it is small and 

 often hidden in the groove about the upper jaw, which should be 

 pulled out a little in searching for the barbel 4 



Maxillary without a barbel 



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