Distribution of Fishes in the Red River of the North Basin on Multivariate Environmental Gradients
Cyprinidae
Longnose Dace
Rhinichthys cataractae (Valenciennes), the longnose dace, was collected
by Woolman (1896) from the Pembina, Forest, Maple, Sheyenne, Buffalo, and
Red Lake Rivers and Daugherty Creek, a tributary to Lake Traverse; at these
sites it was often abundant in the samples (Figure A44). Hankinson (1928) found
the longnose dace in the Red, Pembina, Park, and Sheyenne Rivers; and Wilson
(1950) collected it from the Sheyenne River above Baldhill Creek. The longnose
dace has been found in several streams in the basin. It has occurred at 16% of
sites sampled since 1962 (Table 4). Where found, the species has usually been
abundant in site collections, with 50 individuals in a sample not uncommon, and
several hundred have been taken at sites on the Sheyenne, South Branch Wild
Rice, and Clearwater Rivers in recent years. It has been found only once in the
upper reaches of the Otter Tail River east of Fergus Falls, where the stream flows
through many natural lakes.
Figure A44. Distribution of the longnose dace in streams of the Red River of the North basin.