Desert Sucker

Description

Desert suckers are bicolored; the back and upper sides are darker, olive-brown to dark green, and the belly and lower sides are deep-yellow to silvery tan. The scales on the upper half of the body have dark spots which form faint dashed lines. Their head is cylindrical, tapering to a blunt face with the lower lip about three times as thick as upper lip. The mouth is on the underside (ventral) of the face and is proportionately large. The dorsal fin of the desert sucker has 10 to 11 rays. The adult lengths range from 4 to 16 inches (100 to 410 mm) in smaller streams, but up to 31 inches (790 mm) in Arizona. Their weight ranges from 4 to 65 ounces (110–1,840 g).

Distribution

The desert sucker is found in Nevada, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. The desert sucker occurs in the lower Colorado River basin, below the Grand Canyon, particularly in the Gila River, and above the Grand Canyon in streams in the Virgin River basin, the White River basin and others. The total range area of the desert sucker is estimated at 128,000 km (49,000 sq mi).

Habitat

Desert suckers prefer ripply waters, rapids and flowing streams with gravelly bottoms.

Reproduction

Desert suckers reach maturity in their second year. Spawning occurs in winter and spring from January through May.

Subspecies

Three subspecies have been identified: the White River desert sucker, Catostomus clarkii intermedius (sometimes known as White River mountain sucker, Pantosteus intermedius), Virgin River desert sucker, Catostomus clarkii utahensis, and the Meadow Valley Wash desert sucker, Catostomus clarkii (unnamed).

Some ichthyologists regarded these as members of the genus Pantosteus, but later authors regard Pantosteus as a subgenus of Catostomus. There are suggestions of hybridization between Catostomus clarkii and Catostomus insignis.

Additional field notes

Desert sucker use pools and riffles differently through the day.

Sources: Pantosteus clarkii species summary

Size and daily habitat use

FishBase distinguishes the riffle habitat of small fish from the daily movements of adults. Adults occupy pools during daylight and use riffles at night in small to medium rivers. The location of a daytime survey can therefore influence which sizes are encountered.

Sources: Pantosteus clarkii species summary