Carpiodes carpio
(River Carpsucker)
Fishes
Native Transplant |
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Common name: River Carpsucker
Taxonomy: available through
www.itis.gov
Identification: Becker (1983); Hubbs et al. (1991); Page and Burr (1991); Etnier and Starnes (1993).
Size: 64 cm.
Native Range: Mississippi River basin from Pennsylvania to Montana and south to Louisiana; Gulf Slope drainage from Calcasieu River, Louisiana, to Rio Grande, Texas and New Mexico. Also in Mexico (Page and Burr 1991).
Nonindigenous Occurrences:
Four young River Carpsuckers were collected in 1927 in a tributary to the lower Maumee River, Ohio (Lee et al. 1980 et seq.; Trautman 1981; Page and Burr 1991). Some doubt exists about the veracity of this record. Trautman (1981) says there is doubt about his and Carl L. Hubbs ability to identify young of this species. Since no others have ever been collected, he posed three possibilities: 1) they were introduced with shipments of buffalo and failed to become established; 2) an Ohio drainage collection was mixed with a Maumee collection; or 3) a relict population exists. He considered the first possibility the most probable.
Table 1. States with nonindigenous occurrences, the earliest and latest observations in each state, and the tally and names of HUCs with observations†. Names and dates are hyperlinked to their relevant specimen records. The list of references for all nonindigenous occurrences of Carpiodes carpio are found here.
Table last updated 4/19/2024
† Populations may not be currently present.
Means of Introduction: It is likely that individuals of this species were included in shipments of buffalo-fishes Ictiobus spp., which were intentionally stocked in Ohio in western Lake Erie between 1920 and 1930 (Lee et al. 1980 et seq.; Trautman 1981).
Status: Failed in Ohio.
Impact of Introduction: The impacts of this species are currently unknown, as no studies have been done to determine how it has affected ecosystems in the invaded range. The absence of data does not equate to lack of effects. It does, however, mean that research is required to evaluate effects before conclusions can be made.
References: (click for full references)
Becker, G.C. 1983. Fishes of Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, WI.
Etnier, D.A., and W.C. Starnes. 1993. The fishes of Tennessee. University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, TN.
Hubbs, C., R.J. Edwards, and G.P. Garrett. 1991. An annotated checklist of freshwater fishes of Texas, with key to identification of species. Texas Journal of Science, Supplement 43(4):--56.
Lee, D.S., C.R. Gilbert, C.H. Hocutt, R.E. Jenkins, D.E. McAllister, and J.R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980 et seq. Atlas of North American freshwater fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, NC.
Page, L.M., and B.M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. The Peterson Field Guide Series, volume 42. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA.
Trautman, M. B. 1981. The fishes of Ohio. Ohio State University Press, Columbus, OH.
Other Resources:
FishBase Summary
Author:
Fuller, P.
Revision Date: 4/30/2018
Peer Review Date: 3/6/2011
Citation Information:
Fuller, P., 2024, Carpiodes carpio (Rafinesque, 1820): U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL, https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?SpeciesID=341, Revision Date: 4/30/2018, Peer Review Date: 3/6/2011, Access Date: 4/19/2024
This information is preliminary or provisional and is subject to revision. It is being provided to meet the need for timely best science. The information has not received final approval by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and is provided on the condition that neither the USGS nor the U.S. Government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from the authorized or unauthorized use of the information.
