CLEAR CHUB
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hybopsis winchelli
CHARACTERISTICS: The clear chub has a single mouth barbel, a weakly falcate dorsal fin, and a dark lateral band. Its body form is slender, and its snout is blunt, with a small, horizontal mouth. The eye is large, its diameter slightly greater than the length of the snout. The back and sides are light greenish yellow. Similar species occurring sympatrically and likely to be confused with the clear chub are the silverjaw minnow, Ericymba buccata, and the weed shiner, Notropis texanus; however, both of these species lack mouth barbels. An undescribed species similar to Hybopsis winchelli occurs in coastal drainages east of the Mobile basin (Clemmer, 1971). Hybopsis winchelli differs from the undescribed form in snout shape, mouth position, head length, and size and position of nuptial tubercles. Moreover, the caudal spot of H. winchelli is formed by a ventral expansion of the lateral band at the caudal fin base and does not extend onto the caudal rays. The caudal spot of the undescribed chub, on the other hand, is a distinct, wedge-shaped feature that is separate from the lateral band and that extends onto the caudal fin rays.
ADULT SIZE: 2 to 2.8 in (50 to 70 mm)
DISTRIBUTION: Hybopsis winchelli is found in eastern tributaries of the lower Mississippi River basin, east to and including the Mobile basin. In Alabama this species is found in the Mobile basin and in the Escatawpa River drainage. The undescribed species similar to winchelli is found from the Perdido River drainage east to the Apalachicola River basin.
HABITAT AND BIOLOGY: The clear chub appears to prefer small or moderately large streams of clear water over gravel, sand, or silt bottoms. It is often found in pool areas near riffles and in quiet pools with little or no current. For populations west of the Mobile basin, Clemmer (1980) indicates spawning occurs from late February to late March. However, ripe individuals have been observed later in the spring, and spawning in the Mobile basin is from March through May. Little is known about the feeding ecology of this species. It presumably eats stream drift composed of aquatic and terrestrial insects and possibly filamentous algae.
REMARKS: The type locality of the clear chub is the Black Warrior River (precise location unknown).
ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION: Girard described the clear chub in 1856.
ETYMOLOGY:
Hybopsis means rounded face, referring to the blunt snout.
Winchelli is in honor of the late Alexander Winchell of the University of Michigan.
The copyrighted information above is from Fishes of Alabama and the Mobile Basin.
