▁extending ▁north ▁into ▁the ▁southern ▁Great ▁L akes ▁and ▁south ▁to ▁the ▁C umber land ▁River ▁D rain age ▁in ▁northern ▁Tennessee . ▁They ▁commonly ▁inhab it ▁the ▁Ch es ape ake ▁Bay , ▁Ohio ▁River , ▁Mississippi ▁River , ▁and ▁Atlantic ▁Coast al ▁trib ut aries . ▁The ▁southern ▁range ▁includes ▁areas ▁of ▁Mississippi , ▁Louisiana , ▁Alabama , ▁and ▁Georgia . ▁ ▁Major ▁habit ats ▁in ▁this ▁range ▁include ▁the ▁Ap al ach icola ▁River ▁and ▁Pear l ▁River ▁d rain age . ▁ ▁Hab itat ▁ ▁Silver j aw ▁min n ows ▁exist ▁in ▁large ▁schools ▁at ▁the ▁bottom ▁of ▁shall ow , ▁fresh water ▁cre eks , ▁streams , ▁and ▁small ▁to ▁medium ▁rivers ▁with ▁gra vel ly ▁or ▁sand y ▁flo ors . ▁ ▁They ▁prefer ▁the ▁continu ously ▁moving ▁water ▁of ▁r iff les . ▁ ▁Typ ically ▁they ▁inhab it ▁clear ▁waters ▁without ▁s ilt . ▁ ▁Diet ▁and ▁feed ing ▁behavior ▁ ▁The ▁silver j aw ▁min now ▁is ▁a ▁bottom - fe eder ▁that ▁fe eds ▁mostly ▁during ▁the ▁day ▁on ▁pre y ▁of ▁the ▁order ▁D ip tera ▁including ▁ch ir onom ids ▁( non - bit ing ▁mid ges ), ▁e ph emer optera ▁( may f lies ), ▁and ▁cl ad oc era ▁( water ▁fle as ). ▁ ▁They ▁also ▁pre y ▁at ▁night ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁low ▁density ▁of ▁pre y ▁in ▁the ▁b enth os . ▁ ▁Their ▁four ▁main ▁feed ing ▁behav iors ▁are ▁searching , ▁mou