Small mouthed buffalo fish
| Small mouthed buffalo fish | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Small mouthed buffalo fish ( Ictiobus bubalus ) |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Ictiobus bubalus | ||||||||||||
| ( Rafinesque , 1818) |
The small-mouthed buffalo fish ( Ictiobus bubalus ) is a freshwater fish from the sucker carp family that is widespread in North America . Translated from the Greek, its scientific name means bullfish or buffalo.
distribution
Ictiobus bubalus occurs from Lake Michigan across the Mississippi in many waters of the Midwest . Its distribution area extends from Montana and Michigan in the west to Pennsylvania in the east. In the southern United States, it is found in rivers that flow into the Gulf of Mexico or Mobile Bay in Alabama . Also in the Rio Grande in Texas and New Mexico to further south in northern Mexico . In Texas, it has been caught in the following waters: Red River, Kiamichi River, Sabine Lake, Galveston Bay Brazos River, Colorado River, San Antonio Bay, and Nueces River.
description
Ictiobus bubalus has a light to dark brown back and flanks, some of which are greenish or copper-colored. The fins are light yellow or white. It is often confused with the carp , although it lacks barbels. In contrast to Ictiobus cyprinellus , Ictiobus bubalus has a lower mouth. Ictiobus bubalus is on average 58 centimeters long, in exceptional cases even up to 112 centimeters. The IGFA record fish weighed 37.3 kilograms and was caught in Athens Lake in Alabama. He can be a maximum of 15 years old. Ictiobus bubalus is relatively adaptable and inhabits ponds, reservoirs, lakes, canals and smaller to larger rivers. He prefers clear waters with medium currents. It finds ideal growth conditions in the abundance of underwater plants and soft soil. High areas of water hardness, such as those found in the Rio Pecos, are also tolerated. Ictiobus bubalus feeds on crustaceans and algae at the bottom of the water, which it grinds with its gullet teeth. The biology of this species is not yet fully understood. It is known that Smallmouth Buffalos spawn in spring when the water temperature is appropriate. The spawn is deposited on aquatic plants or in the mud, sometimes also on flooded meadows and after one to two weeks the young fish hatch.
use
Small-mouthed buffalo fish can be kept in aquaculture and are popular food fish . In some North American states, the smallmouth buffalo is a popular sport fish that can be fed easily with dough balls made from cottonseed.
Web links
- Distribution area of Ictiobus bubalus in the USA: [1]
- Ictiobus bubalus inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: NatureServe, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
Notes and individual references
- ↑ a b c http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/smallmouthbuffalo/
- ↑ a b c d e f Ictiobus bubalus on Fishbase.org (English)
- ↑ a b c Archived copy ( memento of the original from June 29, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from April 9, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
