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| NAS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species |
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Common Name: mimic shiner
Taxonomy: available through 
Identification: Scott and Crossman (1973); Becker (1983); Page and Burr (1991); Etnier and Starnes (1993); Jenkins and Burkhead (1994); Pflieger (1997). Notropis volucellus probably represents a complex of several cryptic species (Etnier and Starnes 1993; Gilbert 1998).
Size: 7.6 cm.
Native Range:
St. Lawrence-Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, and Mississippi River basins from Quebec and Vermont to west-central Manitoba, and south to Gulf; Atlantic Slope drainages from James River, Virginia, to Neuse River, North Carolina; Gulf Slope drainages from Mobile Bay, Georgia and Alabama, to Nueces River, Texas (Page and Burr 1991).
Nonindigenous Occurrences: This shiner is known from the Connecticut and Housatonic rivers, Connecticut (Schmidt 1986; Page and Burr 1991); the Connecticut River and one site on the Squanacook River at Townsend Harbor, Massachusetts (Schmidt 1986; Hartel 1992; Cardoza et al. 1993; Hartel et al. 1996) and Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge (USFWS 2005); the Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania (Malick 1978; Cooper 1983; Hocutt et al. 1986), and the Potomac River, West Virginia (Stauffer et al. 1995).
Means of Introduction: Unknown; possible bait bucket releases. Probably introduced accidentally into Massachusetts with other bait fish (Hartel 1992; Cardoza et al. 1993).
Status: Established in Massachusetts (Hartel 1992; Hartel et al. 1996), West Virginia (Stauffer et al. 1995), and Susquehanna drainage, Pennsylvania (Cooper 1983). Page and Burr (1991) indicated that the species was introduced into Connecticut (see Remarks section).
Impact of Introduction: Unknown.
Remarks: Whitworth (1996) made no mention of this species in his recent book on Connecticut fishes. The distribution map of Lee et al. (1980 et seq.) shows a nonindigenous record centered on the Connecticut River in southern Massachusetts near the Connecticut state border. Schmidt (1986) listed it as introduced to the Housatonic and Connecticut river drainages. Hocutt et al. (1986) regarded it as introduced (but possibly native) to the Susquehanna River drainage and as native (but possibly introduced) to the James River drainage. Page and Burr (1991) and Etnier and Starnes (1993) reported it as introduced to the Connecticut and Housatonic rivers; their conclusions were apparently based, at least in part, on the map of Lee et al. (1980 et seq.). The species has been taken from several sites in the Massachusetts portion of the Connecticut River drainage, the first dating to the 1940s (Hartel 1992; K. Hartel, personal communication). Although it is possible that the fish subsequently spread south into the Connecticut portion of the Connecticut River, we have not found any primary literature or additional data that would verify its occurrence in that state. Hartel (personal communication) is also unaware of any Connecticut records. In contrast to other researchers, Jenkins and Burkhead (1994) believed the species to be native to the Susquehanna River system of Pennsylvania. Propst and Carlson (1986) stated that reports of N. volucellus in Colorado are based on misidentifications. Based on a search of various databases, Walters (1997) noted that this species was reported as taken from the Conasauga River system of Georgia. Among several possible explanations (e.g., a misidentification), he speculated that the record may be based on a bait bucket introduction of the Tennessee drainage form of the mimic shiner. Scott and Crossman (1973) concluded that its value as a bait minnow, at least in northern regions, is unknown since the species is seldom recognized either by bait dealers or investigating biologists. Becker (1983) believed its use as a bait minnow is probably low; however, he did report that mimic shiners from a Wisconsin lake were used in huge quantities as bait and also mentioned an instance of its use as a food supply for fishes at one hatchery. Jenkins and Burkhead (1994) stated that this small shiner is quite frail and therefore not likely to be successfully introduced.
Other Resources:
Species Summary for Notropis volucellus mimic shiner (FishBase)
FishBase Fact Sheet
Author: Leo Nico
Revision Date: 4/19/2006 Citation for this information:
Leo Nico. 2009. Notropis volucellus. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL.
<http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=614> Revision Date: 4/19/2006
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