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Leuciscidae (Minnows) > Laviniinae
Etymology: Lavinia: Lavinia, -ae, Latin = daughter of king Latino, married with Aeneas; mythology.
Eponymy: Girard gave no reasoning for his naming of this genus. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on authors: Baird & Girard.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Temperate; 41°N - 36°N
North America: Sacramento-San Joaquin, Clear Lake, Russian River, and Pajaro-Salinas river drainages in California, USA. Three subspecies were previously recognized: Lavinia exilicauda chi in Clear Lake; Lavinia exilicauda harengus in Pajaro and Salinar River; and Lavinia exilicauda exilicauda in rest of the range.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 36.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5723); common length : 25.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193); max. reported age: 6 years (Ref. 72462)
Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 13; Anal soft rays: 11 - 13. Body deep and compressed; caudal peduncle tapering to narrow; caudal fin large; lateral line strongly decurved; head small, compressed, mouth terminal (slightly upturned); dorsal-fin origin behind pelvic-fin origin; scales on lateral line 54-62; dorsal fin with 10-13 rays; anal fin with 11-13 rays; pharyngeal teeth 0,5-4,0 or 0,5-5,0; brown-yellow above, scales on back and silver side darkly outlined (crosshatched pattern on small individuals); fins dusky; and small specimens with black caudal spot (Ref. 86798).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal.
Occurs in lakes, ponds, sloughs, backwaters and sluggish sandy pools of small to large rivers (Ref. 5723, 86798).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr, 2011. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 663p. (Ref. 86798)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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