Common dace
📖 Overview
Gregarious fish which swims near the surface . Inhabits moderate to fast-flowing large streams to large rivers with rock or gravel bottom. Adults aggregate in dense swarms in winter in the lower reaches of rivers or backwaters and often migrate to spawning streams in autumn and overwinter there. Juveniles spend winter in cavities along the shores. Early juveniles occur in very shallow shoreline habitats and when they grow, they leave the shores for faster-flowing waters. Feeding larvae thrive along shores. Prey on small invertebrates. Spawns in fast-flowing water on shallow gravel beds, often in small tributaries . Breeds in March and April . Pale yellow eggs are found attached to gravel and stones in shallow, flowing water .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 2 - 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9; Vertebrae: 42 - 46. Diagnosed from congeners in Europe by the following characters: subinferior or subterminal mouth; subequal jaw, upper jaw slightly longer; upper lip tip about level with center of eye; not projecting snout; articulation of lower jaw distinctly behind anterior margin of eye; horizontal branch of preoperculum shorter than vertical branch; and 40-50 + 1-2 scales on lateral line . Rarely longer than 30 cm TL; normally 47-52 scales in lateral line; anal fin concave; caudal fin forked with 19 rays .: fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Common dace is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
Regularly undertake migration of some tens of km to spawning sites, which are often situated in tributaries. Males form large aggregations, each male defending a small territory. Females lay sticky eggs into excavaitons made in gravel .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; potamodromous ; depth range 1 - ? m. Temperate; 4°C - 22°C ; 72°N - 41°N, 10°W - 155°E north of 69°N and most of cenral Finland.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🎣 Angling Guide
- medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
- 30-50 lb braid
- fluorocarbon leader
- grass flats
- oyster bars
- marsh drains
- deeper channel edges
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Common dace · Dace |
| 🌍BAK | Бөгәрсә |
| 🌍BEL | Ялец |
| 🌍BRE | Darz |
| 🌍CES | Jelec proudník |
| 🌍CHV | Кутеме |
| 🌍CYM | Dars · darsen |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Strømskalle |
| 🇩🇪German | Hasel · Hasila · Hasile · Heseln |
| 🌍EPO | Leŭcisco komunuma |
| 🌍EST | Häslik · Teib |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Seipi |
| 🇫🇷French | Acourcie · Assée · Aubour · Coucie · Dard · Schwal · Sièje · Sièjo · Vandoise · Vandoise commune |
| 🌍GLE | Deas |
| 🇭🇷Croatian | Klenić |
| 🇭🇺Hungarian | Nyuldomolykó |
| 🌍IND | Ikan dace |
| 🌍ISL | Silfurgægir |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | デイス · ヨーロッパウグイ |
| 🌍LAV | Baltais sapals |
| 🌍LIT | Paprastasis strepetys · strepetys |
| 🌍LTZ | Hieselter |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Serpeling |
| 🌍NNO | gullbust · haslong · hisling · hærsling · slomme · træl |
| 🌍NOB | Slom · gullbust · haslong · hisling · hærsling · slomme · træl |
| 🇳🇴Norwegian | Gullbust · Haslong |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Jelec · Jelec europejski · Jelec pospolity |
| 🌍RON | Clean · Clean-mic · clean mic |
| 🇷🇺Russian | Елец · Обыкновенный елец · елец обыкновенный |
| 🌍SLK | Jalec maloústy |
| 🌍SLV | Klenic · USS Dace |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Leucisco Común · leucisco |
| 🌍SRP | Klenic · Кленић |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Stäm |
| 🌍TAT | Бөгәрчә |
| 🌍TUR | Gümüşlü balık · dere kefali |
| 🌍UKR | Ялець звичайний · Ялець європейський |
| 🌍WLN | Vindwesse |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abramis dobuloides | Günther | 1857 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus dobula | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus dolabrata | Holandre | 1837 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus graining | Walbaum | 1792 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus grainining | Bloch & Schneider | 1801 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus grislagine | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus lancastriensis | Shaw | 1804 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus leuciscus | Linnaeus | 1758 | Homotypic |
| Cyprinus mugilis | Vallot | 1837 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus salax | Gronow | 1854 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus simus | Römer-Büchner | 1827 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus squalus | Walbaum | 1792 | Synonym |
| Cyprinus umbra | Walbaum | 1792 | Synonym |
| Idus stagnalis | Dubalen | 1913 | Synonym |
| Leuciscus argenteus | Selys-Longchamps | 1842 | Synonym |
| Leuciscus dobula | Linnaeus | 1758 | Synonym |
| Leuciscus leuciscus leuciscus | - | - | Synonym |
| Leuciscus leuciscus rhodanensis | Costedoat & Chappaz | 2011 | Synonym |
| Leuciscus leuciscus roulei | Bertin & Estève | 1948 | Synonym |
| Leuciscus majalis | Agassiz | 1835 | Synonym |
| Leuciscus rodens | Agassiz | 1835 | Synonym |
| Leuciscus rostratus | Valenciennes | 1844 | Synonym |
| Leuciscus saltator | Bonaparte | 1846 | Synonym |
| Leuciscus vulgaris | Fleming | 1828 | Synonym |
| Squalius chalybeius | Heckel | 1852 | Synonym |
| Squalius lepusculus | Heckel | 1852 | Synonym |
| Squalius leuciscus elata | Fatio | 1882 | Synonym |
| Squalius leuciscus elongata | Fatio | 1882 | Synonym |
| Squalius leuciscus lateristriga | Fatio | 1882 | Synonym |
| Squalius mehdem | Warpachowski | 1897 | Synonym |
… and 5 more synonyms
🦠 Common Diseases
The following diseases are known to affect Common dace.
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 27 records indexed .
👥 Community & Contribute
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