Regional Range
The distribution includes portions of West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina. The species is Phenacobius teretulus, a minnow rather than the darter with a similar common name. Preserve the scientific identity when comparing locality records from the same river system.
Coarse Stream Bottoms
Fish use riffles and runs over rubble and gravel. Current strength can vary within those habitats, so an observation should describe the occupied patch rather than only the general river size. The bottom material helps distinguish these records from fish taken over soft mud.
Length and Identification
The compiled maximum is ten centimeters total length, including the tail fin. Small size and a New River locality are useful context but cannot identify the species by themselves. Photographs should retain the head, mouth, fins and complete body for comparison with other minnows.
Keep the Mouth in View
A head and mouth image adds identification detail beyond a distant side silhouette, especially when several small minnows share the same riffle.
All Lakes With Kanawha Minnow
Browse all lakes and reservoirs with confirmed Kanawha Minnow records in our database, listed alphabetically.
No published lakes are currently linked to this species in our confirmed records.