About Nocomis leptocephalus (Girard, 1856)
The bluehead chub, with the scientific name Nocomis leptocephalus, is a freshwater fish species in the family Leuciscidae, a group that includes shiners, daces, and minnows. It is native to North America. The species gets its common name from the appearance of breeding males, which have a blue head and develop large nuptial tubercles. On average, adult bluehead chubs measure between 70 and 160 mm (2.8 and 6.3 inches) in length. They have a robust body covered with uniformly large scales, which are also present on the belly and breast. Other physical traits include a pored body, a weakly falcate pectoral fin, pharyngeal teeth, a large mouth, small eyes, and a terminal barbel. Additional identifying characteristics include a darkened lateral band, a spot on the caudal fin, and red coloring on the fins and eye iris. This species has 40 lateral line scales and 8 anal rays. Bluehead chubs live in freshwater environments including pools, rivers, and streams, and they feed on insects and plants. They specifically inhabit freshwater pools, creeks, and small to medium rivers with sandy or rocky bottoms. They occupy warm to cool waters with swift currents that are typically turbid. The bluehead chub is native to the United States, where it occurs in the southeastern portion of the country. Its native distribution covers the York River system of Virginia, Atlantic and Gulf coast drainage, and the lower Mississippi River drainage extending into Mississippi and Louisiana. Its native range includes the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana. Due to bait bucket releases by fishermen, bluehead chubs have spread to multiple non-native drainage basins. Bluehead chubs spawn in the spring, and reproduce via external fertilization: the female releases eggs onto the bottom, and the male releases milt to fertilize the eggs. Males build a gravel mound nest where females deposit their eggs. After fertilization occurs, the male guards the eggs until they hatch. Bluehead chubs mature for three years before reaching reproductive maturity.
