Ocmulgee Shiner: Facts & Habitat

About Ocmulgee Shiner

The Ocmulgee shiner (Cyprinella callisema) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish in the family Leuciscidae, the shiners, daces and minnows. It is endemic to the United States where it occurs in the Altamaha and Ogeechee river drainages in Georgia. It was first described in a book about fishes of upper Georgia. The author, Davis Starr Jordan, is credited with describing more than 2,500 species of fish in his lifetime. He first described this fish in his book fishes of upper Georgia in 1877.

NativeFresh3 states

Physical appearance

The Ocmulgee Shiner is a slender silver minnow with a blue sheen. Its notable lateral line span the entire length of its body. These minnows can grow to a maximum length of 9 cm It possesses six rayed fins: a forked caudal fin to assist in agile swimming, a pair of pectoral fins for vertical movement, a single dorsal, an anal and pelvic fin to maintain stability. These fins are a faint yellow and mostly translucent. It has a terminal mouth, meaning it is in the front and center of the head

Geographic range and habitat

This Georgia native is a subtropical freshwater fish. It is endemic to central Georgia and predominately occupies the Ocmulgee and Oconee river basins. This shiner "Inhabits sandy and rocky runs of small to medium rivers " Its distribution ranges 34°N to 32°N.

Life history

The Ocmulgee Shiner belongs to the family Cyprinidae, as all other fish in this family they are egg-layers. Not much is known about their eating habits, but it is assumed that they rely on invertebrates and vegetation.

Status

According to the IUCN Red list status shows the likelihood of a species becoming extinct in the future. The Ocmulgee Shiner is a species of least concern and population trends are stable. The last known assessment occurred in 2011.

Article text: Wikipedia contributors, Ocmulgee shiner (source revision). Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Diet and feeding

The FishTraits compilation records these diet categories for this species: invertebrates or larval fish. These are broad categories, not a claim that every individual consumes every example in a category.

Reported feeding positions include bottom feeding and surface or water-column feeding. The compilation combines published observations; diets can vary with age, locality, and available food.

Habitat preferences

Reported habitat associations include medium to large rivers, streams and small rivers.

The source records associations with sand, gravel, cobble, bedrock, organic debris, large woody material. An association indicates reported use, rather than an exclusive requirement.

Reproduction and parental care

The compilation reports a representative maturity age of 1.5 years. Its maturity field summarizes mean, median, or modal estimates, usually for females; male estimates can be used when female data are unavailable. It is not a fixed age at which every fish first breeds.

Batch or serial spawning has been reported somewhere in the species’ range. This does not establish the same spawning pattern for every population.

The reproductive-guild classification includes hiding a brood without subsequent guarding.

Size and recorded longevity

FishTraits reports a maximum total length of 9 centimetres. Some entries use an estimated asymptotic length; this value should not be treated as a certified record catch.

Recorded longevity in the compilation is 3.5 years. Wild observations were preferred, but captive records were accepted where wild records were unavailable, and unspecified records were assumed wild. The value is not a guaranteed wild lifespan or an aquarium life expectancy.

Range

Where it lives

97.2%of mapped records

Share of 141 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 3 states.

Share of records by state

Habitat

Water and movement

Water: WoRMS records this species in fresh water.
Migration: Undetermined

Classification

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Superclass: Actinopterygii
Class: Teleostei
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Leuciscidae
Genus: Cyprinella
Species: Cyprinella callisema
ITIS TSN: 163770
WoRMS AphiaID: 1422292
GBIF key: 5207660

Common questions about Ocmulgee Shiner

What is the scientific name of Ocmulgee Shiner?

The scientific name is Cyprinella callisema, in the family Leuciscidae. Classification follows ITIS.

Does Ocmulgee Shiner live in fresh water or salt water?

WoRMS records this species in fresh water.

Where has Ocmulgee Shiner been recorded in the United States?

GBIF has observations in 3 states, with the most records in Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee. The map shows observation records, which do not establish the complete natural range.

Closest relatives