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Photo of a Creek Chub

Species profile

Creek Chub

Semotilus atromaculatus

Bony fishIUCN: Least Concern13.2K iNat observations

At a glance

Creek Chub (Semotilus atromaculatus) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species with specific harvest rules tracked in 1 of 66 jurisdictions covered by CatchRules.

Confirmed by 11,916 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Ontario, Ohio, and Pennsylvania the top jurisdictions by observation count.

Notable details

  • Male creek chubs build gravel pit-and-ridge nests during the spring spawning season.
  • They are one of the most widespread stream fish across eastern North America.
  • Males develop small bony bumps called tubercles on their snouts when breeding.
  • Adults typically reach 6–10 inches, with some exceeding 12 inches in length.
  • They tolerate low oxygen and turbid water better than most other stream minnows.

Background

Semotilus atromaculatus, the creek chub or the common creek chub, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Leuciscidae. This species is found in the eastern US and Canada. Differing in size and color depending on origin of development, the creek chub can usually be defined by a dark brown body with a black lateral line spanning horizontally across the body. It lives…

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Creek Chub article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.

Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.