348 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey - 



21. BLACK-STRIPED MINNOW 



NOTROPIS BIFRENATUS (Cope) 



Up to 10 or 11 years ago, this handsome Httle minnow was 

 known only as a rather uncommon fish in streams along the coast 

 from Massachusetts to Maryland. In 1898, Dr. W. C. Kendall of 

 the Bureau of Fisheries, obtained a good number in a bay near 

 the mouth of Songo River, at Sebago Lake, Maine. At Lake Max- 

 inkuckee, 5 specimens of this species have been found, 2, each about 

 1^ in. long, in Lost Lake Aug. 25, 1900, a third about an inch 

 long of which the date has been lost, another example li inches 

 long was taken in Aubeenaubee Creek near the mouth November 

 15, 1904, and the fifth, 1^ inches long, in Lost Lake, Dec. 24, 1904. 

 These specimens agree perfectly with those obtained at Sebago 

 Lake, Maine, by Dr. Kendall, except that ours have a slightly larger 

 eye and a slightly larger mouth. 



The Black-striped Minnow very closely resembles the young of 

 the chub sucker, from which it can be distinguished by the struc- 

 ture of the mouth. It can be at once distinguished from any other 

 of the minnows of the lake by its intense contrastive markings. 

 It differs from Notropis cayuga, which it resembles more closely 

 than any other minnow of the region, in the larger mouth, black 

 lower jaw, stouter body, and much blacker lateral band. The 

 black lateral band in bifrenaUts is solid and continuous, that in 

 cayuga is made up of a series of black vertical bars, somewhat 

 lunate in the anterior part of the body, separated by less black, sil- 

 very interspaces. 



Head 4.2 in length ; depth 4.2 ; eye 3 in head ; D. 8 ; A. 7 ; scales 

 5-86-3 ; 13 scales before dorsal ; teeth 4-4. Body with both dorsal 

 and ventral outlines somewhat arched; the caudal peduncle some- 

 what contracted. Head moderate, the muzzle very obtuse. Mouth 

 oblique, the jaws about equal; upper lip opposite lower part of 

 pupil. Eye large, greater in diameter than length of snout ; pores 

 of lateral line developed on only a few of the anterior scales. 



Straw-colored, the scales brown-edged above; a shining black 

 band from snout through eye to caudal, including edge of lower 

 jaw; an orange band above this on the snout; regions below the 

 black band silvery. Length 1^ to 2 inches. 



On account of its rarity, this minnow is not generally known to 

 the anglers of the vicinity. Its small size would probably prevent 

 its being used as a bait minnow, though its attractive colors might 

 make it a good lure. 



