SIXTY-TWO SPECIES OF FISHES FROM LAKE ERIE 
339 
Pigmentation. — Chromatophores extend across upper jaw, heavily over top of 
head, and in 3 or 4 uncrowded rows on dorsal line from head to caudal. A few 
occur in gill region on surface and below surface, and in a single series along lateral 
line, more numerous near caudal. There are many below the surface in the abdominal 
region, and one row on either side of ventral aspect backward from vent. The 
caudal is the only pigmented fin. 
BREEDING 
This species is a spring breeder, at which time the male develops tubercles on the 
snout, and crimson color on forehead, opercular region, and base of dorsal. 
23. Notropis cornutus chrysocephalus Rafinesque. Common shiner; red-fin 
shiner. [Luxilus cornutus chrysocephalus (Rafinesque). Jordan, Evermann, Clark, 
p. 128.J 
RECORD OF CAPTURE 
In 1928 no specimens were taken from Lake Erie, but spawning adults and a 
large number of eggs and larvae were found in a tributary creek on June 14. The 
development of these eggs is recorded in the following stages to 10.5 millimeters. 
One larva was taken in the lake on June 19, 1929, off Point Pelee at the surface in 
water 12 % meters deep, and a number in a somewhat later stage of development at 
the tip of Long Point on July 8. Adults are abundant in the region. 
DESCRIPTION 
This shiner is most easily recognized at all stages from N. atherinoides by its 
deeper body, but with more difficulty from N. deliciosus stramineus. At 7 millimeters 
pigmentation in the two is alike except that N. cornutus chrysocephalus has no dorsal 
chromatophores behind the head while the other species have a double series to 
origin of dorsal. In postlarval stages the difference in dorsal and anal fin-ray counts 
is diagnostic. 
Egg . — Mass rather lo'osely attached, but a few eggs tightly held together with 
bits of gravel adhering. Diameter of living egg, 1.45 to 1.9 millimeters, mostly 
about 1.6 millimeters. Diameter of clear, yellow oil globule 0.5 to 0.6 millimeter. 
Eggs in early cleavage seem to have very little oil diffused through yolk, and embryo 
stages have one large globule and often many tiny ones closely associated with it 
and over yolk. 
Figure 47 A shows the earliest stage observed, with blastodisc well formed. 
There seems to be a small amount of oil diffused through yolk. 
- Figure 47 B with the embryo completely circling yolk, shows brain well formed, 
eyes lightly pigmented in black, and small, black stellate chromatophores over yolk. 
Both of the above stages were observed on June 18. 
One week after the stage shown in Figure 47 B two specimens were hatched 
and thriving, swimming rapidly around the aquarium and a lm ost constantly on 
their sides. The larva (fig. 48) was very transparent, only the yellowish yolk and 
dark eyes being evident to the naked eye of the observer. The measurements were : 
Total length, 6.9; length to vent, 3.6; greatest depth, 1.75; diameter of eye, 0.4 milli- 
meter. Large oil globule persisting in anterior region of yolk; black chromatophores 
over yolk sac and an uneven series along ventral ridge of tail, extending up a little 
over sides. Two days after hatching the total length of the larva had not increased, 
109774°— 32 4 
