Common names from other countries
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cypriniformes (Carps) >
Catostomidae (Suckers) > Ictiobinae
Etymology: Ictiobus: Greek, ichthys = fish + Greek, bous = cow (Ref. 45335); bubalus: bubalus, meaning buffalo (Ref. 10294).
More on author: Rafinesque.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Temperate; ? - 32°C (Ref. 12741); 50°N - 26°N
North America: Lake Michigan drainage and Mississippi River basin from Pennsylvania and Michigan to Montana, USA and south to the Gulf of Mexico; Gulf Slope drainages from Mobile Bay in Alabama to Rio Grande in Texas and New Mexico, USA. Also in Mexico.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 112 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 40637); common length : 58.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193); max. published weight: 37.3 kg (Ref. 40637); max. reported age: 15 years (Ref. 12193)
Inhabits pools, backwaters and main channels of small to large rivers. Also occurs in lakes and impoundments. Feeds on shellfish and algae, by grinding with the bony plates in its throat (Ref. 9988). Appears to be a good candidate for aquaculture. Marketed fresh and eaten pan-fried, broiled and baked (Ref. 9988).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Assuming same reproductive mode as in Chasmistes.
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)
CITES (Ref. 128078)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
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=0.01148 (0.00848 - 0.01555), b=3.00 (2.91 - 3.09), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.0 ±0.39 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tmax=15).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): High to very high vulnerability (67 of 100).