Cyprinodon variegatus
Lacepéde 1803
Family Cyprinodontidae
The sheepshead minnow is a member of the pupfish family. It has a stout body, and a small and upturned mouth. This species has a blunt snout and gently sloping dorsal profile. There are irregular dark bars on the side body that are most distinct posteriorly, and males have a black-edged caudal fin. Females have an ocellus at the rear of the dorsal fin. The sheepshead minnow is a marine species that can enter shoreline areas of a variety of fresh and saltwater environments with little to no current, including lakes, ditches, bays and estuaries.
Status & distribution
- Status — Marine invader
- Florida Distribution — Western and North Central drainages, the Gulf Coast, South Florida and the Atlantic Coast