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Alrighty then. Watch your step. Ridiculous nermhole to follow. Got a lovely batch of Notropis chrosomus this week. Very pleased! Getting obsessed. Started nerming . . . _____________________________________________________________________ Google search: > Notropis chrosomus >> Wikipedia “Rainbow shiner” > References >>> http://www.fishbase.org/summary/2848 > Jordan 1877 >>>> Wikipedia “David Starr Jordan” > References >>>>> (1877) “Contributions to North American Ichthyology” >>>>>> Search: notropis chrosomus > Hydrophlox chrosomus _____________________________________________________________________ So, just to explain here: A Google search has landed me on a fascinating book part-authored by the founding president of Stanford University, who was a passionate ichthyologist. This book "Contributions..." dates from 1877. Here, I observe that "chrosomus" (Latin: "colored body") only occurs in relation the prefix "Hydrophlox" but never "Notropis." Fishbase entry had indicated that "Notropis" was a misnomer. _____________________________________________________________________ Google search: > Hydrophlox chrosomus >> Science Direct > Abstract: “Phylogenetic relationships of the North American cyprinid subgenus Hydrophlox” (Cashner, June, 2011) >> nanfa.org > “The Chrome Minnow of North America: Keeping and Spawning the Rainbow Shiner ” (Katula, Jan-Mar 2016) _____________________________________________________________________ Now, the article above by Katula is wonderful. NANFA (North American Native Fish Association) makes archived articles free to read here. These are really fascinating studies, for anyone interested in native North American species. It confirms what I had inferred before that "Notropis chrosomus" used to be called "Hydrophlox chrosomus" -- and may well have had other names as well between 1877 and 2011. Plus the Katula article is a treasure trove of useful information! But wait for it . . . _____________________________________________________________________ > Wikipedia “Notropis” > Scientific Classification / Synonyms > Hydrophlox, Jordan, 1878 >> Related: Notropis rubricroceus (appearing on the Wikipedia webpage for "Notropis" >>> Wikipedia “Saffron Shiner” _____________________________________________________________________ And here, fellow nerms, is my exciting find of the day. These North American fish are unbelievably gorgeous, and should be selectively bred and sold more in the US hobby -- as also should Rainbow Shiners. > YouTube: Saffron Shiners on a River Chub Mound And then there's this . . . which brings up a lot of questions. If the fish below are Rainbow shiners, they are definitely a totally different color morph than the forms commonly sold. Or else, the fish below are mislabeled -- and are actually Saffron shiners (seen above). Except the same video poster also posted _other_ footage of Saffron shiners. I think there really are two color forms of Rainbow shiners: Type A (powder blue on males) and Type B (males are a lot more red) This other footage below (of Saffron Shiners spawning) shows markedly _yellow_ finnage rather than the power blue. And more Saffron Shiners . . . look at this: And then this: And there's this ex situ (fishtank) footage: Ah the life of a nerm during COVID. All too fun not to share . . . these fish are crazy interesting!