Longnose Sucker
| Salish Sucker | |
|---|---|
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| 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 |
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| Subspecies | |
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C. c. catostomus |
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The longnose sucker, Catostomus catostomus, is a freshwater species of fish inhabiting cold, clear waters in North America from northern USA to the top of the continent. In addition, it is one of two species of sucker to inhabit Asia, specifically the rivers of eastern Siberia. 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 - 25 inches long and weigh between one and two lb.
The longnose sucker 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.
Longnose suckers are often confused with white suckers, as they appear very similar.
[edit] References
- "Catostomus catostomus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=163894. Retrieved 30 January 2006.
- Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2005). "Catostomus catostomus" in FishBase. 10 2005 version.
