Identification
The blunt snout overhangs a small, downward-positioned mouth. A thin dark stripe follows the side and continues around the snout, with a pale band just above it. Unlike Coosa Shiner, Burrhead Shiner lacks a distinct stripe along the back ahead of the dorsal fin.
Size
Adults often fall within the smaller range in Quick Facts. The approximately 75-millimeter figure is a reported upper size, not a promise that most fish reach three inches.
Habitat and Breeding
Small to moderately sized woodland streams offer rubble, bedrock and sand. Spawning observations place breeding in spring and early summer. Males develop breeding tubercles without the vivid colors seen in many other shiners.
A Rough Forehead
The name asperifrons refers to the rough forehead produced by breeding tubercles. That seasonal detail explains the name better than the fish’s otherwise restrained coloration.
All Lakes With Burrhead Shiner
Browse lakes and reservoirs with documented Burrhead Shiner records, listed alphabetically. Records do not establish current abundance or public access. Check the evidence and managing authority for the water you choose.
No published lakes are currently linked to this species in our confirmed records.