Catostomus platyrhynchus
Mountain Sucker
NS
GNR
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Cypriniformes (Carps and Minnows)
Catostomidae (Suckers)
Catostomus
Catostomus platyrhynchus (Mountain Sucker)
Description
This species account was compiled from
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Characters
Body shape: elongated.
Distribution
North America: Canada and USA from Saskatchewan River system and Fraser River drainage south through upper Missouri and Colorado River drainages to Colorado and Utah; Lahontan basin in the USA; upper Sacramento River system in California and through Oregon and Washington to southern British Columbia.
Habitat Associations
Freshwater. demersal. Found in: streams.
Biology
Occurs in various habitats, but most common in rocky riffles and runs of clear mountain creeks and small to medium rivers. Rarely found in lakes (Ref. 1998). Feeds on diatoms, other algae, higher plants, dipterous larvae and pupae (Ref. 1998). Spawning adults may be preyed upon by birds and mammals while small individuals may be preyed upon by stream salmonids (Ref. 1998). Edible.
Max length: 25.0 cm TL; common length: 11.2 cm TL; max age: 9 years.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2011-10-27. Resilience: Medium (tm=2-5).
References
Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea and W.B. Scott (1980) A list of common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. Am. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. (12)1-174.
Scott, W.B. and E.J. Crossman (1973) Freshwater fishes of Canada. Bull. Fish. Res. Board Can. 184: xi+1-966.
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr (1991) A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p.
Balon, E.K. (1975) Reproductive guilds of fishes: a proposal and definition. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 32(6):821-864.
Comments On Catostomus platyrhynchus