Fish in Focus:   Blackstripe topminnow, Fundulus notatus

Blackstripe topminnow, Fundulus notatus
© Garold W. Sneegas and Aquatic Kansas Images

This member of the family Fundulidae is often a common inhabitant of the still surface waters of streams and lakes of the Mississippi River basin. Topminnows have specialized mouths adapted for feeding on the surface. When feeding, their images are often reflected on the surface, as is illustrated in the above photo. When chased by a predator, topminnows dart one direction while their image goes in another, confusing predators long enough to allow them to escape.