308 Top Minnow 



Color: Adult female: olive above; lower sides silvery; belly 

 white; sides with 16-20 narrow greenish bars. Adult male: 

 sides with 20-22 silvery bars. Young of both sexes resem- 

 ble the adult female. 



Distribution: Quebec to Cape Hatteras. Found in fresh- 

 water coastal streams and lakes, sometimes temporarily 

 wandering into brackish water. 

 Size: Maximum length about 4Vi inches. 

 General Information: Spawns from April to September. It 

 feeds on miscellaneous small aquatic animals and plants. 

 Economic Importance: Used as a bait by anglers fishing in 

 fresh water. 



Top Minnow, Gambusia 

 Gambusia holbrooki (Girard) 



Male 



Female 



Color: Usually olive above; gray on sides; pale on belly. 

 Dusky markings on scales of upper part of body form ir- 

 regular dark dots. 



Distribution: New Jersey to Florida. Most common from 

 Chesapeake Bay south. 



Size: Maximum length about IVi inches. The males are 

 smaller than the females and seldom reach a length of 1 V2 

 inches. 



General Information: The Top Minnow is found abun- 

 dantly in localized protected areas in both fresh and brack- 

 ish water. The anal fin of the male has been modified as 



