Pteronotropis hypselopterus
(Günther 1868)
Family Leuciscidae

Lateral view of a sailfin shiner
The picture above shows two sailfin shiners collected from Okloosa County Florida, top, and Walton County, Florida, bottom. These fish are now part of the Florida Museum ichthyology collection. Top: UF 237734 Bottom: UF 187751 Florida Museum photo by Zachary Randall

The sailfin shiner is a member of the minnow, shiner and chub family, and has a deep, compressed body with a pink-red line above a broad steel-blue stripe along the side body. Large males have an orange margin on the black dorsal fin and orange caudal and anal fins. This species can be found in vegetated areas and near woody debris in sandy and muddy pools and runs of headwaters, creeks and small to large rivers.

Status & distribution

  • Status — Native freshwater
  • Florida Distribution — Western and North Central drainages
  • River Drainages — Perdido River, Escambia River, Blackwater River, Yellow River, Choctawhatchee River and Econfina Creek
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