Acrocheilus alutaceus Agassiz & Pickering, 1855
Chiselmouth
photo by Moodie, G.E.E.

Family:  Leuciscidae (Minnows), subfamily: Laviniinae
Max. size:  30 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  North America: Fraser and Columbia River drainages in British Columbia in Canada, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada in USA; Harney River basin in Oregon, USA.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-11; Anal soft rays: 9-10. Moderately compressed body, deepest in front of dorsal fin; strong tapering to narrow caudal peduncle; large, forked caudal fin; wide head; subterminal mouth; hard plate on lower jaw; large eye; dorsal-fin origin over pelvic-fin origin; rounded, protruding snout; decurved, complete lateral line with 85-93 scales; long intestine (at least twice length of body) ; black peritoneum; dorsal fin with 10-11 rays; anal fin with 9-10 rays; pharyngeal teeth 0,4-4,0 to 0,5-5,0; gray above, brassy silver side; yellow to brown fins; large individuals with gray dorsal and caudal fins, orange at pectoral and pelvic-fin bases (Ref. 86798). Tail large and flaring. Lower jaw bears a sharp edge, nearly square when viewed from beneath. Sharp part of lip consist of cornified epithelium which is sometimes slightly calcified. Internal to the fleshy upper lip is a small, hard plate upon which the lower lip bears. Young fish have a more rounded lower lip, when viewed either laterally or from below. Digestive tract in adults is about twice the length of the body, with most of its length consisting of a coiled section posterior to the entry of the bile duct (Ref. 52680).
Biology:  Occurs in flowing pools and runs over sand and gravel in creeks and small to medium rivers; also in margins of lakes (Ref. 86798). Adults feed mainly on diatoms, also on filamentous algae; young feed on surface insects (Ref. 1998).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 12 October 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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