Leuciscus leuciscus
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Common Name:
Eurasian dace
Synonyms and Other Names:
Cyprinus dobula, C. graining, C. grislagine, C. lancastriensis, C. leuciscus, C. mugilis, C. salax, C. simus, C. squalus, C. umbra, Idus stagnalis, Leuciscus argenteus, L. dobula, L. majalis, L. rodens, L. rostratus, L. saltator, L. vulgaris, Squalius chalybeius, S. lepusculus, S. mehdem, S. suworzewi
Identification:
The body is dorso-ventrally flattened (Caffrey et al. 2007). The mouth is inferior. The tail is deeply forked. The flanks are silver, with a bluish green gradient along the back. The eyes are yellow. Upper jaw is slightly longer than the lower jaw (Kottelat and Freyhof 2007). The articulation of the lower jaw is distinctly behind the anterior margin of the eye. The upper lip is about level with the center of the eye. The snout does not project. The 47-52 scales are in a lateral line. The anal fin is concave and the caudal fin is forked with 19 rays.
Size:
10 – 150 mm.
Native Range:
Vistula basin (Tockner et al. 2009), Baltic Sea basin (Voipio 1981). Nonindigenous Occurrences: It is considered invasive in Ireland (Caffrey et al. 2007). It was introduced from Britain to Munster Blackwater, Ireland in 1889.
This species is not currently in the Great Lakes region but may be elsewhere in the US. See the
point map
for details.
Ecology:
Leuciscus leuciscus is a cyprinid fish that is widely distributed in Europe and inhabits fast flowing water, lowland rivers, and lakes (Caffrey et al. 2007). It often occurs in large numbers in shoals. It can tolerate brackish estuaries, but is unable to inhabit sea waters. It tolerates waters with temperatures of 4 - 28°C (Leuven et al. 2011), and has been found in waters with temperatures as low as 2.5°C in the winter (Araújo et al. 1999).This species feeds year round, and its feeding activity peaks in the summer. It has a highly varied omnivorous diet comprising of insects, algae, and detritus (Cowx 2001). Its diet changes seasonally. Leuciscus leuciscus matures after 3-4 years of growth (Mann and Mills 1986). This species migrates upstream to spawn for about 2-3 weeks during March or early April. Each female lays a single batch of eggs per year and may spawn for seven successive years. It spawns on sand or gravel substrates. When eggs are discharged into the water, they rapidly adhere to the substrate and can tolerate extremely heavy flows (Mills 1981). Eggs hatch after 1 month. Larval growth is best when the spring-fall season is warmer and the river discharge is moderately low (Nunn et al. 2003). Relative fecundity of Leuciscus leuciscus is about 40 eggs g-1 total weight (Helawell 1974).
Means of Introduction:
Leuciscus leuciscus has a moderate probability of introduction to the Great Lakes (Confidence level: High).
Potential pathway(s) of introduction: Transoceanic shipping (ballast water)
Leuciscus leuciscus does not currently occur near waters connected to the Great Lakes basin. It is not known to be able to attach to recreational gear, fauna, flora, or other objects to be later transported to the Great Lakes. This species is not stocked, cultured, or sold in the Great Lakes region. This species is found in the River Exe in south-west and River Thames in England (Araújo et al. 1999, Cowx 1988), Munster Blackwater in Ireland (Caffrey et al. 2007), and the Baltic Sea (Voipio 1981). This species occurs in ports that have direct trade connections with the Great Lakes (NBIC). It is found in waters with high levels of dissolved oxygen, so it is unlikely to be capable of surviving ballast tank environments for weeks at a time. Leuciscus leuciscus cannot tolerate high salinities of full strength seawater, so ballast water regulations may prevent the introduction of this species to the Great Lakes. Leuciscus leucisus may be introduced to the Great Lakes via ships declaring “No Ballast on Board” (NOBOB), which are exempt from ballast water exchange. The majority of ships entering the Great Lakes are NOBOB vessels and 43% of these ships contain residual water with less than 10‰ salinity (NOAA Final Report 2005). In the study, the temperature of the residual water from the vessels sampled ranged from -0.7 to 23.9°C; thus Leuciscus leuciscus is somewhat likely to survive the salinity and temperature of NOBOB ballast water on some ships. The eggs of Leuciscus leuciscus stick to substrates (Mills 1981), but it is unknown whether they would stick to transoceanic ship structures.
Status:
Not established in North America, including the Great Lakes
Leuciscus leuciscus has a moderate probability of establishment if introduced to the Great Lakes (Confidence level: High).
Leuciscus leuciscus inhabits rivers and lakes (Caffrey et al. 2007) and is susceptible to habitat degradation (Copp et al. 2007). This species occurs in the upper Thames estuary, which has a salinity range of 0.34 – 2.96 p.s.u. and water temperatures of 2.5 – 20°C (Araújo et al. 1999); these ranges are salinity and temperature ranges are similar to those in the Great Lakes (Reid and Orlova 2002). In the upper Thames estuary, Leuciscus leuciscus is most common in Isleworth, which has an average dissolved oxygen saturation of about 100%. It may tolerate the cool waters during the winters in the Great Lakes, but its capacity to overwinter may be limited by the level of dissolved oxygen (Araújo et al. 1999, Leuven et al. 2011). Warmer water temperatures and shorter duration of ice cover may aid the establishment of Leuciscus leuciscus. This species is more abundant in warmer waters with lower flows, high dissolved oxygen, and low pH (Araújo et al. 1999), but is found in fast flowing waters as well (Caffrey et al. 2007). Egg and larval survival is greater when the spring-fall season is warmer (Nunn et al. 2003). Relative fecundity of Leuciscus leuciscus is about 40 eggs g-1 (Helawell 1974), which is similar to the relative fecundity of Leuciscus idus that is 23.584 – 48.789 eggs g-1 (Targónska et al. 2012). This species has a relatively broad diet that varies seasonally; thus it is likely to find a food source in the Great Lakes basin. The distribution of Leuciscus leuciscus sometimes overlaps with that of popular sport fish such as brown trout Salmo trutta L. and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum, and some have suggested that Leuciscus leuciscus competes with these commercially important fish for food and habitat; however, its competitive abilities have yet to be studied (King et al. 2011, Mann and Mills 1986). Dace is invasive in Ireland, and is considered a potential threat to the brown trout (King et al. 2011) and salmonoids (Caffrey et al. 2007). Leuciscus leuciscus was introduced to Munster Blackwater in Ireland in 1889 and did not spread until the early 1990s (Caffrey et al. 2007). In 1994, this species was first reported in the River Barrow and rapidly spread upstream.
Great Lakes Impacts:
Summary of species impacts derived from literature review. Click on an icon to find out more...
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Leuciscus leuciscus has the potential for high environmental impact if introduced to the Great Lakes.
Leuciscus leuciscus is suspected to compete with salmonoids for breeding habitat (Caffrey et al. 2007). Efforts conserve salmonoid populations in Ireland have been hampered by Leuciscus leuciscus. Leuciscus leuciscus were reported to use breeding grounds intended for salmon breeding, thereby reducing the availability of breeding grounds for salmon. It has been suggested by Caffrey et al. (2007) and King et al. (2011) that if Leuciscus leuciscus reaches high abundances, it may compete with brown trout and other native fish of Ireland for food; however, the level of competition for food and its effects on native populations has not been studied in-depth. It has been reported that Leuciscus leuciscus can hybridize with chub (Leuciscus cephalus L.) and bleak (Alburnus alburnus L.) (Bourgeois 1963, Kennedy and McCarthy 1965); however, these fish do not occur in the Great Lakes and are native to Europe. Leuciscus leuciscus is not known to impact water quality of the physical components of ecosystems. Leuciscus leuciscus has the potential for high socioeconomic impact if introduced to the Great Lakes.
Leuciscus leuciscus is not a threat to human health or water quality. It does not damage infrastructure. It has not been reported that this species negatively affects markets or economic sectors. It does not diminish the aesthetic or natural value of the area it inhabits.
Leuciscus leuciscus can reach very high densities and resides in shoals. For coarse (non-game) anglers, the high abundance of dace is beneficial (Caffrey et al 2007). For game anglers, the high abundance of dace is a nuisance because these fish often take the lure casts intended for catching trout. The breeding grounds created for salmon conservation are used by dace, limiting the availability of breeding grounds for the salmon and hindering salmon conservation.
Leuciscus leuciscus has the potential for moderate beneficial impact if introduced to the Great Lakes.
In Ireland, Leuciscus leuciscus has become an important angling species after spreading throughout the River Barrow (Caffrey et al. 2007). Leuciscus leuciscus was accidently released into Irish rivers while being used as live bait. This species has the potential to be used as live bait and used for recreational coarse fishing.
Management:
Regulations (pertaining to the Great Lakes region)
There are no known regulations for this species.* *Ballast water regulations applicable to this species are currently in place to prevent the introduction of nonindigenous species to the Great Lakes via shipping. See Title 33: Code of Federal Regulations, Part 151, Subparts C and D (33 CFR 151 C) for the most recent federal ballast water regulations applying to the Great Lakes and Hudson River.
Note: Check federal, state/provincial, and local regulations for the most up-to-date information.
Control
Biological
There are no known biological control methods for this species.
Physical
There are no known physical control methods for this species.
Chemical
There are no known chemical control methods specific to this species. General piscicides (such as rotenone) may be used for control, but expect significant kill of non-target species.
Note: Check state/provincial and local regulations for the most up-to-date information regarding permits for control methods. Follow all label instructions.
References
(click for full reference list)
Author:
Baker, E., D. Putt, and J. Li.
Contributing Agencies:
Revision Date:
12/21/2012
Citation for this information:
Baker, E., D. Putt, and J. Li., 2024, Leuciscus leuciscus (Linnaeus, 1758): U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL, and NOAA Great Lakes Aquatic Nonindigenous Species Information System, Ann Arbor, MI, https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/greatlakes/FactSheet.aspx?Species_ID=3640&Potential=Y&Type=2&HUCNumber=DGreatLakes, Revision Date: 12/21/2012, Access Date: 4/19/2024
This information is preliminary or provisional and is subject to revision. It is being provided to meet the need for timely best science. The information has not received final approval by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and is provided on the condition that neither the USGS nor the U.S. Government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from the authorized or unauthorized use of the information.