Distribution of Fishes 



59 



DAN RIVER SYSTEM 

 ENDANGERED 



Cutlips minnow, Exoglossum maxillingua (Lesueur) 



The cutlips minnow occurs on the Atlantic slope from the St. Lawrence 

 River and eastern Lake Ontario drainages south to the upper Dan River in North 

 Carolina (Gilbert and Lee 1980). Menhinick (1986) reported it from one site on 

 the Dan River in Stokes County, North Carolina, within 1.6 rkm downstream of 

 the Virginia state line. We found it in the North Carolina portion of this river at 

 four sites from the Virginia line downstream to NC Route 704 and at six Virginia 

 sites upstream to the Pinnacles Power Plant, over a total distance of 43 rkm (Fig. 

 10). Numbers (39) taken in our collections ranged from 1-6 (mean 3.9), and their 

 length ranged from 69-133 mm SL; most specimens were adults. This species 

 preferred fast-flowing runs or pools, near large rocks or boulders over sand and 

 gravel. Current where it was collected was 0.54-0.75 m/sec; water temperature 

 7.7 C (November)-22 C (July); pH 6.8-7.6; and dissolved oxygen concentration 

 10.6-11.8 ppm (both November). The species appears to be secure in its limited 

 distribution in North Carolina. 



Fig. 10. Distribution of the cutlips minnow, Exoglossum maxillingua, in the Dan 

 River system, North Carolina and Virginia. 



