March ‘Wildlife Express’ goes deep into Idaho’s microfishes

If you thought this article was going to be about transparent film sheets that store printed information in miniature form, then we're sorry to disappoint. However, even the most enthusiastic microfiche fan might enjoy learning about Idaho's microfishes.

Many microfish are part of the minnow family-a name often associated with all small fish when the proper name isn't available. As it turns out, the minnow family is the largest in the world, inclusive of over 2,000 species. Two-hundred and thirty-five of those species live in North America, and 19 can be found in the Gem State.

Microfish can show us a lot about the health of the water where they live. Some of them are very sensitive to pollution, water temperature or the amount of sediment in the water. Be sure to check out the March edition of Wildlife Express to learn more about Idaho's microfishes, including minnows, goldfish, carp and sculpin.

Wildlife Express is a monthly newsletter for elementary school-age children that teaches lessons about wildlife species and subjects. Each issue features an Idaho wildlife species and articles related to science and ecological concepts. The articles are written in an educational and entertaining fashion that gets students excited to read and learn about wildlife and their environments.