BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary
Margariscus nachtriebi
Pearl Dace
| Scientific Name: | Margariscus nachtriebi (Cox, 1896) | ||||||||||
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| Scientific Name Synonyms: |
Margariscus margarita
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| English Name: | Pearl Dace | ||||||||||
| Classification / Taxonomy | |||||||||||
| Scientific Name - Concept Reference: | Bailey, R. M., W. C. Latta, and G. R. Smith. 2004. An atlas of Michigan fishes with keys and illustrations for their identification. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Miscellaneous Publications No. 192. iv + 215 pp. | ||||||||||
| Classification Level: | Species | ||||||||||
| Taxonomy Comments: | March 2012 - changed from Margariscus margarita to Margariscus nachtriebi to align with NatureServe (DDW). | ||||||||||
| Species Group: | Vertebrate Animal | ||||||||||
| Species Code: | F-MANA | ||||||||||
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| Conservation Status / Legal Designation | |||||||||||
| Global Status: | G5 (Dec 2017) | ||||||||||
| Provincial Status: | S4 (Aug 2025) | ||||||||||
| BC List: | Yellow | ||||||||||
| Provincial FRPA list: | |||||||||||
| Provincial Wildlife Act: | |||||||||||
| COSEWIC Status: | |||||||||||
| SARA Schedule: | |||||||||||
| General Status Canada: | 4 - Secure (2005) | ||||||||||
| Ecology & Life History | |||||||||||
| General Description: | |||||||||||
| Global Reproduction Comments: | Spawns in spring. Sexually mature at age II (Becker 1983). | ||||||||||
| Migration Characteristics: (Global / Provincial) | |||||||||||
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Nonmigrant: Local Migrant: Distant Migrant: Within Borders Migrant: |
Y / N / N / na / |
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| Habitats: (Type / Subtype / Dependence) |
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| Global Habitat Comments: | Habitat includes "cCool, clear headwater streams in the south, bog drainage streams, ponds and small lakes in the north, and in stained, peaty waters of beaver ponds" (Scott and Crossman 1973). Usually these fishes occur over sand or gravel (Page and Burr 1991). Spawning occurs in clear water over sand or gravel in weak or moderate current (Scott and Crossman 1973). | ||||||||||
| Provincial Habitat Comments: | Charlie Lake is a relatively large, productive boreal lake; the other localities are slow-flowing, peat-stained creeks. | ||||||||||
| Food Habits: |
Herbivore: Adult, Immature
Invertivore: Adult, Immature |
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| Global Food Habits Comments: | Eats copepods, cladocerans, chironomids, beetles, filamentous algae, and Chara (Scott and Crossman 1973). | ||||||||||
| Global Phenology: | |||||||||||
| Provincial Phenology: (1st half of month/ 2nd half of month) |
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| Colonial Breeder: | N | ||||||||||
| Length(cm)/width(cm)/Weight(g): | 16/ / | ||||||||||
| Elevation (m) (min / max): |
Global:
Provincial: |
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| Distribution | |||||||||||
| Endemic: | N | ||||||||||
| Global Range Comment: | Atlantic, Hudson Bay, Great Lakes, and Mississippi River basins in northern U.S. and southern Canada, from the Atlantic coast to southern Northwest Territories, eastern British Columbia, and Montana; south to New York, Wisconsin, and Iowa; isolated population in the upper Missouri river basin, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming (Page and Burr 2011). | ||||||||||
| Authors / Contributors | |||||||||||
| Global Information Author: | Hammerson, G. | ||||||||||
| Last Updated: | Jan 18, 2013 | ||||||||||
| Provincial Information Author: | CANNINGS, S.G. | ||||||||||
| Last Updated: | Jan 22, 1992 | ||||||||||
| References and Related Literature | |||||||||||
Becker, G. C. 1983. Fishes of Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. 1,052 pp. |
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Coburn, M. M., and T. M. Cavender. 1992. Interrelationships of North American cyprinid fishes. Pages 328-373 in R.L. Mayden, editor. Systematics, historical ecology, and North American freshwater fishes. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. xxvi + 969 pp. |
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Fava, J.A., Jr. and C. Tsai. 1974. The life history of the pearl dace, Semotilus margarita, in Maryland. Chesapeake Science 15(3): 159-162. |
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Lee, D. S., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980. Atlas of North American freshwater fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina. i-x + 854 pp. |
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Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp. |
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Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp. |
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Scott, W. B., and E. J. Crossman. 1973. Freshwater fishes of Canada. Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Bulletin 184. 966 pp. |
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Stasiak, R.H. 1978b. Food, age, and growth of the pearl dace, Semotilus margarita, in Nebraska. American Midland Naturalist 100(2): 463-466. |
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 2013. Species Summary: Margariscus nachtriebi. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jun 4, 2026).