Creek Chub
(Semotilus atromaculatus)
Taxonomy
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Cypriniformes
Family Cyprinidae
Genus Semotilus
Species atromaculatus
Etymology
Sema, "a banner" + tilus, "spotted"
atromaculatus, "black spot"
Identifying Characteristics
- Relatively large terminal mouth
- Colors range from dark brown, olive, silver, grayish, grayish brown, and brown
- Forked caudal tail
- Dark spot at base of dorsal fin
- Long blackish brown stripe down side
- Breeding males may have reddish color on head
- Inconspicuous barbels sometimes present
- No adipose fin
- Breeding males have tubercles to impress females
Habitat
For the most part, the creek chub lives in small to medium-sized streams but can also live in lakes too. For nesting purposes they enjoy waters with gravel on the bottom. They also prefer clear to slightly cloudy waters.
Life History
Creek chubs reproduce in the early spring, when they migrate upstream to spawn. The males will dig pits out of gravel and stay near by guarding and attempting to attract females. Spawning occurs over or in front of the ridge into the pit when the female has chosen a male. The males fertilize the eggs and then cover them with gravel. The oldest documented creek chub is 8 years old. Below is a video of a male Creek Chub defending his nest.
Geographic Range
Creek chubs are distributed throughout most of the eastern United States and Southeastern Canada. They can be as far as Montana and Wyoming but are missing from Southern Georgia and Florida. It can quickly adapt to many different environments allowing it to live in different places. They have been introduced to a small number of places as well.
For the most part, the creek chub lives in small to medium-sized streams but can also live in lakes too. For nesting purposes they enjoy waters with gravel on the bottom. They also prefer clear to slightly cloudy waters.
Life History
Creek chubs reproduce in the early spring, when they migrate upstream to spawn. The males will dig pits out of gravel and stay near by guarding and attempting to attract females. Spawning occurs over or in front of the ridge into the pit when the female has chosen a male. The males fertilize the eggs and then cover them with gravel. The oldest documented creek chub is 8 years old. Below is a video of a male Creek Chub defending his nest.
Geographic Range
Creek chubs are distributed throughout most of the eastern United States and Southeastern Canada. They can be as far as Montana and Wyoming but are missing from Southern Georgia and Florida. It can quickly adapt to many different environments allowing it to live in different places. They have been introduced to a small number of places as well.
Diet
Creek chubs will eat almost anything they can fit into their mouths. Terrestrial infall (insects from land that have ended up in the water) is responsible for most of the creek chubs available energy. They will even eat smaller minnows and darters. They have also been known to eat worms and aquatic insects. Juveniles feed more often in the morning and adults more often in the afternoon. The juveniles feed mostly on water fleas.
Creek chubs fall prey to a number of species as well. Mostly to larger fish such as the Kingfishers, Largemouth Bass, and larger Creek Chubs.
Conservation Status
At this point, the IUCN red list status is "Least Concern".
At this point, the IUCN red list status is "Least Concern".
References:
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=2952&AT=creek+chub
http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/home/Default.aspx?tabid=605&FishID=43
http://experimentalangler.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/the-life-and-times-of-the-creek-chub/
http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/wdb/pub/hsi/hsi-004.pdf
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/creek_chub.htm
http://txstate.fishesoftexas.org/semotilus%20atromaculatus.htm
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=2952&AT=creek+chub
http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/home/Default.aspx?tabid=605&FishID=43
http://experimentalangler.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/the-life-and-times-of-the-creek-chub/
http://www.nwrc.usgs.gov/wdb/pub/hsi/hsi-004.pdf
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/creek_chub.htm
http://txstate.fishesoftexas.org/semotilus%20atromaculatus.htm