Longnose sucker
| Longnose sucker | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Suborder: | Cobitoidea |
| Family: | Catostomidae |
| Genus: | Catostomus |
| Species: | C. catostomus |
| Binomial name | |
| Catostomus catostomus J. R. Forster, 1773 | |
| Subspecies | |
|
C. c. catostomus | |
The longnose sucker (Catostomus catostomus) is a species of cypriniform freshwater fish in the Catostomidae family. It is native to North America from the northern United States to the top of the continent. It is also found in Russia in rivers of eastern Siberia, and thus one of only two species of sucker native to Asia (the other is the Chinese Myxocyprinus asiaticus).
Description
The body of the longnose sucker is long and round with dark olive or grey sides and top and a light underside. They are typically 15 to 25 inches (38 to 64 cm) long and weigh between 1 and 2 pounds (0.45 and 0.91 kg).
Longnose suckers are easily confused with white suckers (Catostomus commersoni), which appear very very similar. However, longnose suckers can be distinguished by their comparatively finer scales.[1]
Ecology and use
The longnose sucker inhabits cold, clear waters. It is a bottom-feeding fish, eating aquatic plants, algae, and small invertebrates. They are preyed upon by larger predatory fish, such as bass, walleye, trout, northern pike, muskellunge and burbot. They are fished for game and food and also used as bait to catch the larger predators.
References
- ↑ "White Sucker, Catostomus commersoni and Longnose Sucker, Catostomus catostomus". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. State of Michigan. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2005). "Catostomus catostomus" in FishBase. 10 2005 version.
External links
- Earl J.S. Rook (1999) Catostomus catostomus Longnose Sucker A private species profile page.
- University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Fish of the Great Lakes fact sheet