GOLDEN SHINER 



tomary 7 or 8 rays; dorsal fin far 

 behind the pelvic fins; dorsal and 

 anal fins sharply pointed; sharp 

 ridge or keel on belly between pel- 

 vic and anal fins ; lateral line curves 

 downward and follows ventral body 

 contour. 



The female grows faster and 

 larger than the male. This species 

 may mature in 1 year in warm re- 

 gions at a length of 21/2 inches, but 

 in most of the Lake States it prob- 

 ably does not mature before the , , „ , _ , 



•^ ' 1 gallon equals 8 pounds. 



second year. Members of this spe- 

 cies are known to have lived for 8 Rangre.— The golden shiner is 

 years. A maximum length of 10 widely distributed throughout the 

 inches has been reported. eastern United States from Can- 

 The following tables present ada to Florida, and westward to 

 data on the rate of growth of the Dakotas and Texas. The west- 

 golden shiners in natural ponds, ern form, mratus, is most common 

 and the number of fish of various west of the Allegheny Mountains 

 sizes to the pound and gallon. and north of Arkansas and is the 



only subspecies occurring in the 

 Lake States. This species prefers 

 lakes, but is also common in the 

 quiet sections of some of the larger 

 rivers, frequenting weedy bays and 

 shoals. 



Breeding habits. — The golden 

 shiner has a long spawning season, 



95 



