Carpiodes cyprinus
Carpiodes cyprinus
(Quillback)
Fishes
Native Transplant
Collection Info
Point Map
Species Profile
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Brett Billings, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Copyright Info
Carpiodes cyprinus (Lesueur, 1817)
Common name: Quillback
Taxonomy: available through www.itis.govITIS logo

Identification: Becker (1983); Page and Burr (1991); Etnier and Starnes (1993); Jenkins and Burkhead (1994). Taxonomy of the genus Carpiodes on the lower Atlantic Slope is uncertain. Some of the forms resembling C. cyprinus and C. velifer may represent undescribed species (Gilbert, personal communication).
Size: 66 cm.
Native Range: Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River, Hudson Bay, and Mississippi River basins from Quebec to Alberta and south to Louisiana; Atlantic Slope drainages from Delaware River, New York, to Altamaha River, South Carolina (except apparently absent from Rappahannock and York drainages in Virginia, and Tar and Neuse drainages in North Carolina). Gulf Slope drainages from Apalachicola River, Florida and Georgia, to Pearl River, Louisiana (Page and Burr 1991).
Native range data for this species provided in part by NatureServe NS logo
Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUCs) Explained
Interactive maps: Point Distribution Maps

Nonindigenous Occurrences:

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 cyprinus are found here.

StateFirst ObservedLast ObservedTotal HUCs with observations†HUCs with observations†
AZ195219672Lower Salt; Upper Salt
AR200920092Lower Sulpher; McKinney-Posten Bayous
LA196720082Atchafalaya; Lower Red-Lake Iatt
NC199119912Neuse; Upper Neuse
OK200420041Lower Cimarron-Eagle Chief
TX1963201713Alamito; Austin-Travis Lakes; Big Bend; Cibolo-Red Light; Double Mountain Fork Brazos; Llano; Lower Brazos; Lower Colorado-Cummins; Lower Sabine; Middle Brazos-Millers; Middle Colorado; Pedernales; San Saba
VA200620161Upper New

Table last updated 3/28/2025

† Populations may not be currently present.
Means of Introduction: Unknown.
Status: Established in Arizona, North Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin. Unknown in Illinois.
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.
Remarks: Voucher specimen: Illinois (INHS 64805).
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.

Gilbert, C.R. - Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL.

Jenkins, R.E., and N.M. Burkhead. 1994. Freshwater fishes of Virginia. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD.

Miller, R.R., and C.H. Lowe. 1967. Fishes of Arizona. 133-151 in Lowe, C.H., ed. The vertebrates of Arizona. University of Arizona Press, Tucson, AZ.

Menhinick, E.F. 1991. The freshwater fishes of North Carolina. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

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.

Savitz, J., L.G. Bardygula, and L. Scoma. 1989b. The first record of the quillback carpsucker (Carpiodes cyprinus) in Illinois waters of Lake Michigan. Transactions of the Illinois Academy of Science 82(3&4):191-192.

Other Resources:
FishBase Summary
Author: Fuller, P.
Revision Date: 7/2/2019
Peer Review Date: 7/22/2004

Citation Information:
Fuller, P., 2025, Carpiodes cyprinus (Lesueur, 1817): U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL, https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=342, Revision Date: 7/2/2019, Peer Review Date: 7/22/2004, Access Date: 3/28/2025

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.

Disclaimer:

The data represented on this site vary in accuracy, scale, completeness, extent of coverage and origin. It is the user's responsibility to use these data consistent with their intended purpose and within stated limitations. We highly recommend reviewing metadata files prior to interpreting these data.

Citation information: U.S. Geological Survey. [2025]. Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database. Gainesville, Florida. Accessed [3/28/2025].

Contact us if you are using data from this site for a publication to make sure the data are being used appropriately and for potential co-authorship if warranted.

For general information and questions about the database, contact Wesley Daniel. For problems and technical issues, contact Matthew Neilson.



Disclaimer:

The Nonindigenous Occurrences section of the NAS species profiles has a new structure. The section is now dynamically updated from the NAS database to ensure that it contains the most current and accurate information. Occurrences are summarized in Table 1, alphabetically by state, with years of earliest and most recent observations, and the tally and names of drainages where the species was observed. The table contains hyperlinks to collections tables of specimens based on the states, years, and drainages selected. References to specimens that were not obtained through sighting reports and personal communications are found through the hyperlink in the Table 1 caption or through the individual specimens linked in the collections tables.



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