Spot-Tailed Shiner

(Notropis hudsonius)

The Spot-tail Shiner is a fairly common member of the fish community at King’s Landing Park.  While very large numbers of this species are rarely caught, it is typical to catch 5-10 of these minnows in a single survey.  The spot-tail is an important food source for many other species of fish as well as for herons and other wading birds.  The Shiner Family is one of the largest groups of fresh-water fish in NorthAmerica.  They are a very diverse group and are sometimes difficult to identify.  The spot-tail is the only abundant species of shiners found at King’s Landing, other local members of this group prefer water with a lower salinity level.  Shiners must be handled delicately as they are prone to lose scales easily.