Cyprinella venusta
Girard 1856
Family Leuciscidae

Lateral view of two blacktail shiners
The two blacktail shiners pictured above were collected in Walton County, Florida in 2014. They are now part of the Florida Museum’s ichthyology collection, UF 187758. Florida Museum photo by Zachary Randall

Blacktail shiners are members of the minnow, shiner and chub family. They have a large black spot on base of the caudal fin and diamond-shaped scales along the upper side of their bodies. They are found in sandy runs and pools of creeks and rivers, and occasionally in rocky runs and pools.

Status & distribution

  • Status — Native freshwater
  • Florida Distribution — Western and North Central drainages
  • River Drainages — Perdido River, Escambia River, Blackwater River, Yellow River, Choctawhatchee River, Econfina Creek, Apalachicola River, Ochlockonee River and the Suwannee River
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Similar Species

Bluestripe Shiner

Bannerfin Shiner