About Cyprinella callistia (Jordan, 1877)
The Alabama shiner, scientifically named Cyprinella callistia (Jordan, 1877), reaches a maximum total length of 13 cm (5.1 in). It feeds primarily on aquatic insects, including midge and blackfly larvae. Its distinctive physical traits include a bright orange to yellow tail, a black spot at the base of the tail, diamond-shaped scales, and a compressed body. It has an inferior mouth positioned on the underside of the head, an adaptation that supports bottom feeding. Among all species in the genus Cyprinella, Alabama shiners have the largest breeding tubercles: these are hard, horny projections that grow on the head and body to assist with spawning. Alabama shiners have been observed spawning in crevices between rocks. This species lives in gravel and bedrock-bottomed pools and runs of small creeks and rivers. Juvenile Alabama shiners typically occupy quieter, slower-moving waters.
