Longnose Sucker
(Catostomus catostomus)
Longnose suckers are found throughout much of Canada. Northern Ohio is the southern border to their distribution. In Ohio they are only found in Lake Erie where they are a very rare species.
Description
Longnose suckers have relatively small scales which in turn gives them more scales (lateral line scale count of greater than 85) along their side than any other Ohio species of sucker. This species gets its name from its rather long snout that protrudes well beyond the tip of the upper lip. The lips of the longnose sucker have many small round bumps on them a feature only shared by the blue sucker in Ohio. Longnose suckers are distinctly bi-colored, meaning there is a sudden change from a darker colored back to a light white or cream colored underside. Breeding males are very dark colored with a rosy red streak on the upper sides. The dorsal and tail fins are slate gray in color and the rest of the fins are yellow to white. The closely related white sucker differs by having a shorter snout, fewer scales, and lips with ridges rather than round bumps.
Habitat and Habits
Longnose suckers are found throughout much of Canada. Northern Ohio is the southern border to their distribution. In Ohio they are only found in Lake Erie where they are a very rare species. There has only been one report of a single individual captured in the late 1990's from West Harbor in recent years. In Lake Erie this species is typically found in deeper waters except in spring when it moves into shallower water to spawn.
Reproduction and Care of the Young
Longnose suckers spawn in spring over rocky reefs in Lake Erie. They scatter their eggs over the bottom and provide no parental care for the young.