Fish
Silverjaw Minnow
Notropis buccatus · also called silverjaw minnows
Over a clean, sandy stream bottom, a small school of silverjaw minnows works methodically across the substrate, each fish’s fleshy, overhanging snout rooting through the sand for invertebrates too well hidden for a less specialised mouth to find.
Overview
The silverjaw minnow, Notropis buccatus, is a small, sand-rooting fish native to clear, sandy and gravelly streams across a broad range of the eastern and central United States. Its distinctive fleshy snout and translucent silver jaw patch make it one of the more physically specialised small minnows found in North American streams.
A snout built for sifting sand
Rather than picking food off the surface, the silverjaw minnow actively roots through sand and fine gravel with its overhanging snout, a specialised feeding tool that opens up a food source most other small minnows sharing the same stream simply pass over.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and stable across suitable clear, sandy stream habitat throughout the eastern and central United States.
Silverjaw Minnow: common questions
Why is it called the silverjaw minnow?
The silverjaw minnow displays a translucent, silvery patch on the underside of its lower jaw, a distinctive feature visible on close inspection that gave the species its common name and helps separate it from other similarly shaped small minnows.
What is the silverjaw minnow's snout used for?
A silverjaw minnow has a notably fleshy, somewhat overhanging snout that extends beyond the mouth, an adaptation used to root through sand and fine gravel on the stream bottom in search of hidden small invertebrates to eat.
What kind of stream does the silverjaw minnow prefer?
A silverjaw minnow favours clear streams with a sandy or fine gravel bottom, generally avoiding heavily silted or polluted water, and it often forms loose schools over open sandy stretches within moderate current.
Where does the silverjaw minnow live?
The silverjaw minnow is native to clear, sandy and gravelly streams across a broad range of the eastern and central United States, generally favouring good water quality.