| Largescale sucker | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Catostomidae |
| Genus: | Catostomus |
| Species: | C. macrocheilus |
| Binomial name | |
| Catostomus macrocheilus Girard, 1856 | |
Thelargescale sucker (Catostomus macrocheilus) is a species ofsucker, a type offreshwater fish, found in westernNorth America.[2]
It has a rounded snout with a downturned mouth on its underside (as opposed to a mouth at end of the head like most fish). It has largescales and narrow tail base (caudal peduncle).
Juveniles are under 4 in (10 cm) in length. Adults can reach a length of 24 in (61 cm) and 7 lb (3.2 kg) in parts of their range.[3] Juveniles are mottled brown or olive green with dark spots and white to yellow belly. Adults are bronze to orange on top with lighter undersides.
The largescale sucker is native to the Pacific Northwest, occurring fromBritish Columbia south toOregon. It is widespread in theColumbia River system. It occurs in the slower-moving portions of rivers and streams, and in lakes.
Largescale suckersspawn in the spring in shallow water over sandy areas of streams or the sandy or small gravelshoals of lakes. Females may produce up to 20,000 adhesive eggs. The young feed upon smallzooplankton until they become bottom dwellers. Then they feed onbenthic aquatic invertebrates,diatoms, and other plant material. They are an important part of the food web and the diet of fish-eating animals (such asosprey, eagles,river otters, and other fish).[4]
Largescale suckers, andrough fish in general, have been used as scapegoats for human impacts on fisheries. Ignorance about suckers is widespread and many anglers in the Pacific Northwest kill them because they mistakenly believe them to have a negative impact on salmon and trout stocks.[5] TheInternational Game Fish Association all tackle world record stands at 7 lb 14 oz (3.6 kg) caught inGrand View, Idaho.[6] However theIdaho state record sits at 9 lb (4.1 kg) and a 27.7 in (70 cm) fish stands as the catch and release record.[7] The Idaho state record was caught in 2017 fromLake Cascade whileice fishing.[8]
