Common name: Mountain Sucker

Synonyms and Other Names: Pantosteus platyrhynchus, P. jordani, P. lahontan. See Smith (1966) for full history.

Taxonomy: available through www.itis.gov

Identification: Sigler and Miller (1963); Sigler and Sigler (1996), Smith (1966).

Native Range: Western United States in eastern California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washinton, and Wyoming; Alberta, British Colombia, and Saskatchewan, western Canada (Belica and Nibbelink 2006; Page and Burr 2011).

Alaska	Hawaii	Puerto Rico & Virgin Islands	Guam Saipan

Native range data for this species provided in part by NatureServe

Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUCs) Explained
Interactive maps: Point Distribution Maps

Means of Introduction: Hypothesized as stocked for bait or bait bucket release for introduced populations in Utah and Nevada (Miller 1952; Sigler and Miller 1963). Population in Sacramento River drainage, California, likely resulted from a water diversion from the LIttle Truckee River for irrigation (Moyle 2002).

Status: Common in the Duchesne River drainage, and established in the Price River drainage, Utah (Sigler and Sigler 1996).

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: Sigler and Miller (1963) identify the specimen from Lake Mead listed by Miller (1952) as bluehead sucker (Catostomus discobolus; given as Pantosteus delphinus in Sigler and Miller 1963).

References: (click for full references)

Belica, L.T., and N.P. Nibbelink. 2006. Mountain sucker (Catostomus platyrhynchus): a technical conservation assessment. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region

Miller, R.R. 1952. Bait fishes of the lower Colorado River, from Lake Mead, Nevada, to Yuma, Arizona, with a key for identification. California Fish and Game 38:7-42.

Moyle, P.B. 2002. Inland fishes of California. 2nd edition. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.

Page, L.M., and B.M. Burr. 2011. Field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Peterson Field Guides series. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, MA.

Sigler, W.F., and R.R. Miller. 1963. Fishes of Utah. Utah State Department of Fish and Game, Salt Lake City, UT.

Sigler, W.F., and J.W. Sigler. 1996. Fishes of Utah: a natural history. University of Utah Press, Salt Lake City, UT.

Smith, G.R. 1966. Distribution and evolution of the North American catostomid fishes of the subgenus Pantosteus, genus Catostomus. Miscellaneous Publications, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, no. 129. Ann Arbor, MI.

Other Resources:

Author: Pam Fuller, and Matt Neilson

Peer Review Date: 7/29/2011

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.