Species: Catostomus columbianus
Bridgelip Sucker
Species
Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Craniata
Class
Actinopterygii
Order
Cypriniformes
Family
Catostomidae
Genus
Catostomus
NatureServe
Classification
Informal Taxonomy
Animals, Vertebrates - Fishes - Bony Fishes - Suckers
Formal Taxonomy
Animalia - Craniata - Actinopterygii - Cypriniformes - Catostomidae - Catostomus - Known to hybridize with the largescale sucker, C. MACROCHEILUS. There has been inconsistency in the subgeneric allocation of this species (sometimes PANTOSTEUS, sometimes CATOSTOMUS). Three subspecies have been proposed: HUBBSI, PALOUSEANUS, and COLUMBIANUS. See Smith (1992) for a study of the phylogeny and biogeography of the Catostomidae.
Ecology and Life History
Habitat Type Description
Freshwater
Migration
true - false - false
Non-migrant
true
Locally Migrant
false
Food Comments
No definitive studies available. Presumably feeds by scrap- ing alage from rocks with its sharp-edged lower jaw. In addition, it probably feeds on aquatic insect larvae and crustaceans.
Reproduction Comments
In British Columbia, probably spawns in late spring; ripe females have been taken in early June. Sexually mature when about 5 inches long.
Ecology Comments
Very little is known about the biology of this species (Scott and Crossman 1973). Predators may include mammals and birds. Young fish may be preyed upon by other fishes.
Length
25
Conservation Status
NatureServe Global Status Rank
G5
Global Status Last Reviewed
1996-09-18
Global Status Last Changed
1996-09-18
Distribution
Conservation Status Map
<img src="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/GetMapGif?CA.BC=S5&US.ID=S5&US.NV=SNR&US.OR=S4&US.WA=S4" alt="Conservation Status Map" style="width: 475px; height: auto;" />
Global Range
G - 200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles) - G - Range includes the Pacific Slope of North America from the Fraser River, British Columbia, south through the Columbia River drainage, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Nevada (only below Shoshone Falls on Snake River), and Harney River basin, eastern Oregon (Page and Burr 2011). Subspecies <i>hubbsi</i>: Wood River system, Idaho. Subspecies <i>palouseanus</i>: Palouse River, western Idaho and eastern Washington; Crooked Creek, Oregon. Subspecies <i>columbianus</i>: remainder of range.
Global Range Code
G
Global Range Description
200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)