Iowa Fish Atlas

Native: Yes

State Rank: S3

ITIS Code: 163456          

National Rank: N5           

Global Rank: G5

Modeled By: Anna Loan-Wilsey

State Range:

The Ozark minnow is confined to the Eastern Broadleaf Aquatic Subregion, where it is rare to occasional in fish collections (Harlan et al. 1987).

Habitat Affinities:

The Ozark minnow inhabits stream of all sizes but reaches greatest abundance clear, spring-fed creeks and small rivers with permanent strong flow, high gradient and gravel or rubble substrates (Cross and Collins 1995; Pflieger 1997; Robison and Buchanan 1988). It is found in pools with moderate gradient and is intolerant of siltation and turbidity (Robison and Buchanan 1988). In Iowa, the Ozark minnow prefers small limestone creeks and are often taken in near bank seeps, where ground water enters the stream (Harlan et al. 1987).  In Missouri, the Ozark minnow is typically found in protected backwater pools below riffles, where the current is moderate (Pflieger 1997).  In Minnesota, it is locally abundant in small headwaters (Eddy and Underhill 1974; Phillips et al. 1982).  Due to its intolerance to turbidity and siltation, there has been a decline over parts of this minnow’s northern range (Becker 1983; Harlan et al. 1987; Smith 1979).

Predictive Model(s):

Statewide Model: by 8-digit HU [Decision Tree Analysis n=47]

The distribution is based upon existing collection records and professional review.

"FLOW" = 1 AND "TEMP_CODE" = 2 AND (("GRADSEGR" > 2 AND "GRADSEGR" <= 3) AND ("SOIL_TEXT" > 4 AND "SOIL_TEXT" <= 6))

Overall Predication:

"FLOW" = 1 AND "TEMP_CODE" = 2 AND (("GRADSEGR" > 2 AND "GRADSEGR" <= 3) AND ("SOIL_TEXT" > 4 AND "SOIL_TEXT" <= 6))

Literature Cited:

Becker, G.C.  1983.  Fishes of Wisconsin.  University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. 1052 pp.

Cross, F.B., and J.T. Collins.  1995.  Fishes in Kansas.  University of Kansas Natural History Museum, Public Education Series No. 14, Lawrence, Kansas.   315 pp.

Eddy, S., and J.C. Underhill.  1974.  Northern fishes; with special reference to the upper Mississippi Valley.  University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota.  414 pp.

Harlan, J.R., E.B. Speaker, and J. Mayhew.  1987.  Iowa fish and fishing. Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa. 323pp.

Pflieger, W.L.  1997.  The fishes of Missouri.  Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, Missouri.  372 pp.

Phillips, G.L., W.D. Schmid, and J.C. Underhill.  1982.  Fishes of the Minnesota region.  University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota.  248 pp.

Robison, H.W., and T.M. Buchanan. 1988.  Fishes of Arkansas.  University of Arkansas Press, Fayetteville, Arkansas.  536 pp.

Smith, P.W.  1979.  The fishes of Illinois.  University of Illinois Press, Urbana, Illinois.  314 pp.

Data Sources:

Bernstein, N.P.  2003.  Personal communications and unpublished reports.  Mount Mercy

College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Decorah Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Northeast

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Decorah, Iowa.

Dowell, V.  1981.  Collections in Cedar River Basin, 1956-1981.  University of Northern

Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Gelwicks, G., J. Heitke, and G. Simmons.  2002.  Contemporary fish survey.  Iowa

Department of Natural Resources, Manchester, Iowa.

Guttenberg Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Northeast

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Guttenberg, Iowa.

Huggins, D.,  B.W. Menzel,  D. Van Schmus, M. Lary, S.H. Wang, Lian, K. Higgins, D.

Bandi, and A. Cordry.  1996.  Assessment of the effects of nonpoint source pollution on the biotic integrity of Walnut Creek.  Kansas Biological Survey Report 73.  Central Plains Center for BioAssessment at the Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence, Kansas.

Iowa State University.  2002.  Miscellaneous field notes from fish surveys conducted by

faculty and students, 1972 and 1980.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Iowa State University Museum.  1985.  Collection of fishes catalog, 1878-1985.   Iowa

State University, Ames, Iowa.

Lyon, D.  2002.  Personal communication.  Retired biology professor, Cornell College,

Mount Vernon, Iowa.

Meek, S.E.  1892.  Report upon the fishes of Iowa, based upon observations and

collections mad during 1889, 1890, 1891.  Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission 10(1890):217-248.

Menzel, B.W.  1983.  Field notes: northeast.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Menzel, B.W.  1984.  Field notes: Iowa-Cedar.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Mount Mercy College Museum.  2002.  Vertebrate collection database report.  Mount

Mercy College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Museum of Zoology.  2002.  Division of Fishes collection database.  University of

Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. http://www.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/. (May, 2002)

Olson, J.R.  1998.  Historic fish survey database.  Water Quality Bureau, Iowa

Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Paragamian, V.L.  1990.  Fish populations of Iowa rivers and streams.  Technical Bulletin

No. 3.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Wilton, T., K. Krier, and J. Mootz.  2003.  Stream Biological Assessment Database.

Environmental Services Division, Water Quality Bureau, TMDL and Water Quality Assessment Section, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Additional References:

Clay, W.M.  1975.  The fishes of Kentucky.  Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Frankfort, Kentucky.  416 pp.

Cross, F.B.  1967.  Handbook of fishes of Kansas.  University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Miscellaneous Publication  No. 45, Lawrence, Kansas.  357 pp.

Douglas, N.H.  1974.  Freshwater fishes of Louisiana.  Claitor’s Publishing Division, Sponsored by Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  443 pp.

Etnier, D.A., and W.E. Starnes.  1993.  The fishes of Tennessee.  University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, Tennessee.  681 pp.

Felley, J.D., and L.G. Hill.  1983.  Multivariate assessment of environmental preferences of cyprinid fishes of the Illinois River, Oklahoma.  American Midland Naturalist  109:209-221.

Fowler, J.F., P.W. James, and C.A. Taber.  1984.  Spawning activity and eggs of the Ozark minnow, Notropis nubilis. Copeia 1984:994-996.

Gelwick, F.P.  1990.   Longitudinal and temporal comparisons of riffle and pool fish assemblages in a northeastern Oklahoma Ozark stream.  Copeia 1990:1072-1082.

Kelly, G., editor.  1986.  Animal habitat relations handbook.  Missouri Department of Conservation and U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Jefferson City, Missouri.  293 pp.

Lee, D.S., C.R. Gilbert, C.H. Hocutt, R.E. Jenkins, D.E. McAllister, and J.R. Stauffer, Jr.  1980.  Atlas of North American freshwater fishes.  North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina.  867 pp.

Page, L.M., and B.M. Burr.  1991.  A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico.  Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp.

Pflieger, W.L.  1971.  A distributional study of Missouri fishes.  University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History  20(3):225-570.

Pflieger, W.L.  1989a.  Aquatic community classification system for Missouri.  Missouri Department of Conservation.  Jefferson City, Missouri.  Aquatic Series No. 19. 70 pp. plus Supplement.

Pflieger, W.L.  1989b.  The stream resources of Missouri.  D-J Project - F-1-R-28.  Study S-20.  Missouri Department of Conservation, Columbia, Missouri.  

Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott.  1991.  Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada.  American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20, Bethesda, Maryland. 183 pp.

Smale, M.A., and C. F. Rabeni.  1995.  Hypoxia and hyperthermia tolerances of headwater stream fishes. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society  124:698-710.

Thom, R.H., and J.H. Wilson.  1980.  The natural divisions of Missouri.  Transactions of the Missouri Academy of Science  14:9-24.

Photo Credits:

Upper Left:       Photo courtesy of Konrad P. Schmidt, copyright Konrad P. Schmidt.

Upper Right:     Photo courtesy of the Native Fish Conservancy, http://www.nativefish.org.