Languedoc minnow
Phoxinus septimaniae
It is small in size with a maximum length of about 10 cm. The head is relatively large and the mouth terminal, where the lower jaw stands out slightly shorter than the upper one. The back is brown or golden, with dark spots on the flanks forming a pattern of vertical stripes. There is sexual dimorphism in coloration. Males have the base of their fins and lips red, and the body takes on greenish colors.
It is naturally distributed by the rivers of northern Catalonia and southeastern France. It has been widely introduced in Catalonia in the Segre, Muga, Fluvià, Ter and Tordera basins.
It lives in mountain rivers with running and cold water, with stone and gravel substrates. It can also live in high mountain lakes. It is a gregarious species that forms very dense shoals on the banks of rivers and lakes. It feeds on invertebrates and algae.
The minnow is an invasive species that causes serious impacts on native species by competing for space and food.. In some Pyrenean lakes, actions have been taken to reduce their populations with good results.
Distribution
Garonne minnow
Phoxinus dragarum
Very similar in appearance to the Languedoc minnow, differs from it by the absence of a band of scales on the chest, in the area anterior to the pectoral fins. These traits have some variability between individuals in the same population, therefore in many cases a genetic characterization is required to identify the species.
The Garonne minnow is endemic to this basin, but its distribution does not reach the Aran Valley. Therefore, all the populations found in Catalonia are introduced. It is present in the Noguera Ribagorçana and other basins where it hybridizes with the Languedoc minnow.
The biological characteristics are very similar to those of the Languedoc minnow, and it is also a highly invasive and harmful species.
Distribution
