Teleostei (teleosts) >
Cypriniformes (Carps) >
Catostomidae (Suckers) > Catostominae
Etymology: Moxostoma: Greek, myxo = to suckle + Greek, stoma = mouth (Ref. 45335); macrolepidotum: macrolepidotum, meaning large scaled (Ref. 10294).
More on author: Lesueur.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; brackish; demersal. Temperate; 59°N - 33°N
North America: Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River, Hudson Bay and Mississippi River basins from Quebec to Alberta in Canada and south to northern Alabama and Oklahoma in the USA; Atlantic Slope drainages from Hudson River in New York to Santee River in South Carolina, USA.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 75.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5723); common length : 40.8 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193); max. published weight: 4.0 kg (Ref. 40637); max. reported age: 9 years (Ref. 12193)
Inhabit rocky pools, runs and riffles in small to large rivers. Also occur in lakes (Ref. 5723, 10294). Adults feed on benthic insect larvae; juveniles consume microcrustacea and midge larvae (Ref. 10294).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
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 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; gamefish: yes
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources