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Nocomis micropogon

(Cope, 1865)

River Chub

G5Secure Found in 19 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101786
Element CodeAFCJB26050
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderCypriniformes
FamilyLeuciscidae
GenusNocomis
Other Common Names
Méné bâton (FR)
Concept Reference
Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Monongahela drainage population shows effects of past introgression with N. platyrhynchus (Lee et al. 1980). Page and Burr (1991) regarded N. platyrhynchus as a subspecies of N. micropogon. The 1991 AFS checklist (Robins et al. 1991) and Mayden et al. (1992) kept them as separate species.

Morphological and reproductive-behavioral data indicate that the genus Nocomis is monophyletic (Maurakis et al. 1991). Morphological data indicate that the biguttatus group of Nocomis is most closely related to the micropogon group (Lachner and Jenkins 1971), whereas reproductive-behavioral data indicate that N. leptocephalus and N. biguttatus form a monophyletic group (Maurakis et al. 1991).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-02-09
Change Date1996-09-16
Edition Date2010-01-21
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Range Extent Comments
River chubs inhabit Atlantic drainages from the Susquehanna River, New York, to James River, Virginia; Great Lakes Basin, New York to Michigan; and Ohio River basin, New York to eastern Illinois and south to northern Georgia and Alabama (but absent in southwestern Indiana, western 2/3 of Kentucky, and most of western Tennessee) (Page and Burr 1991). The species has been introduced in the Ottawa River system, Ontario; it is also present and possibly introduced in upper Santee River (North Carolina), Savannah River (South Carolina and Georgia), and Coosa River (Georgia).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of subpopulations and locations.
Threat Impact Comments
Localized threats may exist, but on a range-wide scale no major threats are known.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

River chubs have a stout body, large dark-edged scales on the back and sides, a long snout, small eyes high on the head, and a barbel (whisker) at the corner of the large mouth. The mouth is slightly to the rear of the tip of the snout. The back is dark olive to brown, and the belly is white to light yellow; the sides are brassy, iridescent green. Maximum length is around 12.5 inches (32 cm). Breeding males ahve a pink-blue head, body, and fins; large tubercles on the snout (including in front of the nostrils); and a large hump on the top of the head. Nest mounds may reach a diameter of 39 inches (100 cm) or more and may rise several inches above the level of the streambed.

Habitat

River chubs live in swift current and flowing pools of small to medium rivers with high to moderate gradient, usually clear warm water, and gravel to boulder bottoms.

Spawning occurs over gravel mound nests made by males in water generally 18-36 inches (46-91 cm) deep. The mounds are made after the male first excavates a pit. Eggs are deposited in a trench that the male makes in the mound. Eggs are covered with stones by the male.

Reproduction

Spawning occurs in spring (mid-April to late May or June in southern Michigan; late spring in Tennessee; rarely as late as early July in the north; late May through June in Virignia). In any one site, most spawning may occur within one wekk, though cold weather or high water may interrupt nesting. Eggs are covered with stones by the male and hatch in about 5-6 days. River chub nests may be used simultaneously for spawning by other minnow species.Individuals mature by 2 years, live about 5 years.
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN4
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioS4Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
VirginiaS5Yes
IllinoisSHYes
KentuckyS4Yes
GeorgiaS3Yes
MarylandS5Yes
South CarolinaS3Yes
MichiganS4Yes
AlabamaS2Yes
TennesseeS5Yes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
North CarolinaS4Yes
District of ColumbiaS2Yes
New YorkS4Yes
IndianaS4Yes
OhioS4Yes
West VirginiaS5Yes
Roadless Areas (19)
Georgia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Ellicott Rock AdditionChattahoochee National Forest690
North Carolina (7)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainPisgah National Forest11,085
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
Chunky Gal (addition)Nantahala National Forest3,336
SnowbirdNantahala National Forest8,489
South Mills RiverPisgah National Forest8,588
Wesser BaldNantahala National Forest4,061
Yellowhammer Branch (add.)Nantahala National Forest1,255
Pennsylvania (3)
AreaForestAcres
Allegheny FrontAllegheny National Forest7,430
Clarion RiverAllegheny National Forest3,821
Minister ValleyAllegheny National Forest1,417
Tennessee (3)
AreaForestAcres
Beaver Dam CreekCherokee National Forest5,070
Brushy RidgeCherokee National Forest7,469
Sampson Mountain AdditionCherokee National Forest3,064
Virginia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Beaver Dam CreekJefferson National Forest1,135
New London Bridge BranchJefferson National Forest844
West Virginia (3)
AreaForestAcres
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
References (28)
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  2. Burr, B. M., and M. L. Warren, Jr. 1986a. Distributional atlas of Kentucky fishes. Kentucky Nature Preserves Commission, Scientific and Technical Series No. 4, Frankfort, Kentucky. 398 pp.
  3. Cooper, E. L. 1983. Fishes of Pennsylvania and the northeastern United States. Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park. 243 pp.
  4. Cooper, J.E. 1980. Egg, larval and juvenile development of longnose dace, <i>Rhinichthys cataractae</i>, and river chub, <i>Nocomis micropogon</i>, with notes on their hybridation. Copeia 1980(3):469-478.
  5. Dalton, K. W. 1989. Status of the river chub, <i>Nocomis micropogon</i>, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 103:186-192.
  6. Etnier, D. A., and W. C. Starnes. 1993. The fishes of Tennessee. University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, Tennessee. xiv + 681 pp.
  7. Jenkins, R. E., and N. M. Burkhead. 1994. Freshwater fishes of Virginia. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland. xxiii + 1079 pp.
  8. Lachner, E. A., and R. E. Jenkins. 1971. Systematics, distribution, and evolution of the chub genus <i>Nocomis</i> Girard (Pisces, Cyprinidae) of eastern United States, with descriptions of new species. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 85:1-91.
  9. Lang, Nicholas (Illinois Natural History Survey). 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI. March 2000.
  10. Lee, D. S., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980. Atlas of North American freshwater fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina. i-x + 854 pp.
  11. Maurakis, E. G., W. S. Woolcott, and M. H. Sabaj. 1991. Reproductive-behavioral phylogenetics of <i>Nocomis</i> species-groups. American Midland Naturalist 126:103-110.
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  13. McIninch, Stephen P. (Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University). 2001. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI. March 2001.
  14. Menhinick, E. F. 1991. The freshwater fishes of North Carolina. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. 227 pp.
  15. Mettee, M. F., P. E. O'Neil, and J. M. Pierson. 1996. Fishes of Alabama and the Mobile Basin. Oxmoor House, Birmingham, Alabama. 820 pp.
  16. Nelson, J. S., E. J. Crossman, H. Espinosa-Perez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, and J. D. Williams. 2004. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 29, Bethesda, Maryland. 386 pp.
  17. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp.
  18. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 2011. Peterson field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. xix + 663 pp.
  19. Page, L. M., H. Espinosa-Pérez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, R. L. Mayden, and J. S. Nelson. 2013. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Seventh edition. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 34, Bethesda, Maryland.
  20. Page, L. M., K. E. Bemis, T. E. Dowling, H.S. Espinosa-Pérez, L.T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, K. E. Hartel, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, M. A. Neigbors, J. J. Schmitter-Soto, and H. J. Walker, Jr. 2023. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Eighth edition. American Fisheries Society (AFS), Special Publication 37, Bethesda, Maryland, 439 pp.
  21. Reighard, J.E. 1943. The breeding habits of the river chub, <i>Nocomis micropogon</i> (Cope). Papers of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters 28 (1942): 397-423.
  22. Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
  23. Skelton, Christopher E. (Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Natural Heritage Program). 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, TNC. March 2000.
  24. Smith, C. L. 1983. Fishes of New York (maps and printout of a draft section on scarce fishes of New York). Unpublished draft.
  25. Smith, C. L. 1985. The inland fishes of New York State. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Albany, New York, xi + 522 pp.
  26. Smith, P. W. 1979. The fishes of Illinois. University of Illinois Press, Urbana. 314 pp.
  27. Stauffer, J. R., Jr., J. M. Boltz, and L. R. White. 1995. The fishes of West Virginia. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 146:1-389.
  28. Trautman, M. B. 1981. The fishes of Ohio. Second edition. Ohio State University Press, Columbus, Ohio. 782 pp.