[3] Silverjaw minnows have a head with a flat underside and large silvery-white chambers on the sides that form their complete lateral line system.

[5] The silverjaw minnow has a lateral line system with many distinctive silvery-white pores connecting to an internal canal that helps the fish detect prey.

[6] One key feature of all minnows is that their dorsal fin has fewer than ten supporting structures, called rays.

[4] Their long snout which projects slightly past their subterminal mouth relates to their feeding behaviors as bottom dwelling fishes.

[7] This species exhibits a disjunct distribution, existing in a northern and southern range in the United States.

[8] Silverjaw minnows exist in large schools at the bottom of shallow, freshwater creeks, streams, and small to medium rivers with gravelly or sandy floors.

[4] The silverjaw minnow is a bottom-feeder that feeds mostly during the day on prey of the order Diptera including chironomids (non-biting midges), ephemeroptera (mayflies), and cladocera (water fleas).

[10] Growth stops during the fall and winter months due to a slowed metabolic rate.

[2] Minnows are also an important food source for larger game fish prized by fishermen.