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South Carolina Shiner ID


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#1 nviole

nviole
  • NANFA Member
  • Congaree/ Lower Saluda River Basins, Columbia, SC

Posted 01 October 2017 - 08:39 PM

I caught this fish earlier this summer in the Congaree River in Columbia, SC. I was thinking it is an ironcolor shiner, but several people have suggested it is a spottail shiner. I'm not used to spottails having a prominent horizontal stripe. Can anyone help to explain. Fish in question is the 3rd fish in the photo.

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Edited by nviole, 01 October 2017 - 08:41 PM.


#2 mattknepley

mattknepley
  • NANFA Member
  • Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.

Posted 02 October 2017 - 05:43 AM

Looks more like a Spottail than an Ironcolor to me. Spottails are weird, they don't ever seem to look the same from different areas. More than once somebody on here has said, "That thing sure doesn't look like the spots around me!"
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."

#3 littlen

littlen
  • NANFA Member
  • Washington, D.C.

Posted 02 October 2017 - 07:16 AM

Handsome Redbreast.


Nick L.

#4 gerald

gerald
  • Global Moderator
  • Wake Forest, North Carolina

Posted 02 October 2017 - 07:40 AM

Yes that's a Spottail shiner (the southern Atlantic slope variety).  Ironcolor is much smaller, with a more prominent and wider black stripe.  Search "ironcolor" in the forum search box and you'll find Dustin's photos comparing Ironcolor vs Dusky shiner; those two are confusing but are both quite different from Spottail.  Swallowtail is the most likely SC shiner to get confused with Spottail.


Gerald Pottern
-----------------------
Hangin' on the Neuse
"Taxonomy is the diaper used to organize the mess of evolution into discrete packages" - M.Sandel


#5 Dustin

Dustin
  • Forum Staff

Posted 02 October 2017 - 11:32 AM

Agree with Gerald.  Swallowtails never get nearly that big so that can be eliminated but they look very similar when smaller.  


Dustin Smith
At the convergence of the Broad, Saluda and Congaree
Lexington, SC


#6 nviole

nviole
  • NANFA Member
  • Congaree/ Lower Saluda River Basins, Columbia, SC

Posted 02 October 2017 - 12:46 PM

Thanks guys. Yes I had considered the swallowtail as well, but according to state DNT the only shiners that look similar to this in this river system are ironcolor and spottail.

#7 Dustin

Dustin
  • Forum Staff

Posted 04 October 2017 - 07:36 AM

You are very close to me there.  Are you located in the Columbia area?  If so, are you interested in getting out some time.  My son and I get out to poke around a couple times a month.  Out of curiosity, what is the state DNT?


Dustin Smith
At the convergence of the Broad, Saluda and Congaree
Lexington, SC


#8 nviole

nviole
  • NANFA Member
  • Congaree/ Lower Saluda River Basins, Columbia, SC

Posted 05 October 2017 - 12:48 AM

Dustin, I meant to say DNR. I would be up for a meet up. I sent you a friend request and would be happy to exchange contact info.




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