Carpiodes cyprinus (Lesueur, 1817)
Quillback
photo by The Native Fish Conservancy

Family:  Catostomidae (Suckers), subfamily: Ictiobinae
Max. size:  66 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 2,940.0 g; max. reported age: 11 years
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  North America: Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River, Hudson Bay and Mississippi River basins from Quebec to Alberta in Canada and south to Louisiana, USA; Atlantic Slope drainages from Delaware River to Altamaha River in USA; Gulf Slope drainages from Apalachicola River to Pearl River in USA.
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Inhabits pools, backwaters and main channels of creeks and small to large rivers (Ref. 10294). Also occurs in lakes. Oviparous (Ref. 205). Feeds on bottom ooze and benthic invertebrates (Ref. 10294), including insects, mollusks and crustaceans, along with plant detritus and sand (Ref. 93252).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 25 October 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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