California roach
| California roach | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Leuciscidae |
| Subfamily: | Laviniinae |
| Genus: | Hesperoleucus Snyder, 1913 |
| Species: | H. symmetricus |
| Binomial name | |
| Hesperoleucus symmetricus (S. F. Baird & Girard, 1854) | |
| Synonyms | |
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The California roach (previously Lavinia/Hesperoleucus symmetricus) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Leuciscidae, which includes the daces, chubs, Eurasian minnows and related species. This species is native to western North America and abundant in the intermittent streams throughout central California. Once considered a single species, it has recently been split into a number of closely related species and subspecies. It is closely related to the Hitch, and together they form a species complex. The California roach derives its common name from its visual similarities to the roach of Europe, however they are not closely taxonomically related.