Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cypriniformes (Carps) >
Catostomidae (Suckers) > Ictiobinae
Etymology: Ictiobus: Greek, ichthys = fish + Greek, bous = cow (Ref. 45335); niger: niger, meaning black (Ref. 10294).
More on author: Rafinesque.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Subtropical; 44°N - 30°N
North America: lower Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins from Michigan and Ohio to South Dakota and south to Louisiana in the USA; on Gulf Slope in Sabine Lake, Brazos River and Rio Grande drainages in Louisiana, Texas and New Mexico in the USA, and Mexico.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 123 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 40637); common length : 52.1 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193); max. published weight: 28.7 kg (Ref. 40637); max. reported age: 24 years (Ref. 46974)
Inhabits ponds and backwaters of small to large rivers. Also lives in impoundments and lakes. Oviparous (Ref. 205). Feeds on Asiatic clam, algae, diatoms and crustaceans (Ref. 10294).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous (Ref. 205). Breed in streams and ponds with rapid flow, on sand and gravel, or in weedy places (Ref. 205). One female may mate with several males (Ref. 205).
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. (Ref. 5723)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5312 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01122 (0.00514 - 0.02450), b=3.04 (2.87 - 3.21), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.4 ±0.46 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tmax=24).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High to very high vulnerability (74 of 100).