Pteronotropis welaka
(Evermannn and Kendall 1898)
Family Leuciscidae

Lateral view of bluenose shiners
A breeding male bluenose shiner, top, is pictured above. This shiner was photographed in 2002 by Howard L. Jelks, U.S. Geological Survey. The bottom two shiners were collected in 2015. They are now part of the Florida Museum ichthyology collection. Middle: UF 187916 Bottom: UF 236755. Florida Museum photos by Zachary Randall

The bluenose shiner is a member of the minnow, shiner and chub family. This species has a slender body, a light pink to yellow stripe above a black stripe along the side from the chin to the caudal fin and a slightly subterminal mouth. It has a bright blue snout, silver coloration on the side body and an oversized, mostly black dorsal fin. The bluenose shiner lives over mud and sand in backwaters, and in quiet vegetated pools of creeks and small to medium rivers. This species is usually found in water deeper than three feet.

Status & distribution

  • Status — Native freshwater
  • Florida Distribution — Western and North Central and Peninsula drainages
  • River Drainages — Escambia River, Blackwater River, Yellow River, Choctawhatchee River, Apalachicola River and the St. John’s River
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Similar Species

Redeye Chub

Ironcolor Shiner