Luxilus zonatus

Treated as conspecific with L. pilsbryi by some authors (Lee et al. 1980). See Mayden (1988) for description of L. cardinalis, formerly included in L. zonatus. Removed from genus Notropis and placed in genus (formerly subgenus) Luxilus by Mayden (1989) and Coburn and Cavender (1992); this change was adopted in the 1991 AFS checklist (Robins et al. 1991). See Dowling et al. (1992) for information on evolutionary relationships among Luxilus shiners based on mtDNA data. See Powers and Gold (1992) for information on phylogenetic relationships among Luxilus shiners based on an analysis of chromosomal NOR variation.

Abundant throughout the Ozark region in Missouri and Arkansas.

Northern, eastern, and southeastern drainages of Ozark Plateaus. Southern Ozark drainages inclusive of the St. Francis, Black, and Little rivers, and some direct tributaries, including Meramec River, of Mississippi River. In northern Ozarks, occurs in Osage, Big Piney, and Gasconade rivers and several small northern tributaries of Lower Missouri River. In Osage drainage, not known west of Sac River. Common to abundant; often the most common fish present (Page and Burr 1991).

Lee et al. (1980) mapped 91 collection sites.

Localized threats may exist, but on a range-wide scale no major threats are known.