Minnow
Scientific name: Phoxinus phoxinus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Cyprinidae
Order: Cypriniformes
Class: Actinopterygii
Irish name: Libín
Irish angling record: Not recorded
Native species: No; introduced sometime after the 12th Century; no historical documentary data5;
Hybrids: No
Identifying features
Dorsal fin base overlaps origin of anal fin; mottled brownish, with a dark band along the side, ending in a black spot at base of tail; at spawning time, the dark bar becomes greenish rather than black and black and red pigment develops on the throat and belly; grows to 10cm, rarely longer4;
Environment and Habitat
Inhabit lake bottom; migrate within freshwater only1; found in most upland rivers and lakes and some lowland rivers; spawns on gravel in summer; can be found in schools close to the surface in summer and in deeper water in winter2;
European distribution
Widespread across Europe. 73°N - 37°N, 10°W - 179°E; found throughout Irish freshwaters;
Economic value in Ireland
Minor commercial value as bait;
Red list status
Least concern
Irish legislation status
Unprotected
EU legislation status
Unprotected
