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Spotted Sucker

Minytrema melanops

Summary 4

The spotted sucker (Minytrema melanops) is a species of sucker (fish) that is native to eastern North America. The spotted sucker inhabits deep pools of small to medium rivers over clay, sand or gravel. They are occasionally found in creeks and large rivers. Through its life stages, the spotted sucker goes from a mid-depth predator to a bottom forager. Spotted suckers have a lifespan of approximately six years and spawn in April and May. Limited knowledge...

Distribution 5

Global Range: Lower Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins from Minnesota and Pennsylvania to the Gulf; Atlantic and Gulf Slope drainages from Cape Fear River, North Carolina, to Colorado River, Texas (but absent from most of Florida peninsula); frequently observed but rarely in large numbers (Page and Burr 1991). See Campbell (1994 COSEWIC report) for information on occurrences in Canada (rare in Ontario).

Habitat and ecology 6

Habitat and Ecology

Typically in long deep pools of clear, firm-bottomed (clay, sand, or gravel), small to medium rivers; sometimes in small turbid creeks and overflow lakes and impoundments. Intolerant of extensive siltation. Spawns in riffle areas.

Systems
  • Freshwater

Iucn red list assessment 7


Red List Category
LC
Least Concern

Red List Criteria

Version
3.1

Year Assessed
2013

Assessor/s
NatureServe

Reviewer/s
Smith, K. & Darwall, W.R.T.

Contributor/s

Justification
This species is listed as Least Concern in view of the large extent of occurrence, large number of subpopulations, large population size, and lack of major threats. Trend over the past 10 years or three generations is uncertain but likely to be relatively stable, or the species may be declining but not fast enough to qualify for any of the threatened categories under Criterion A (reduction in population size).

Nature serve conservation status 8

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Range description 9

Lower Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins from Minnesota and Pennsylvania to the Gulf; Atlantic and Gulf Slope drainages from Cape Fear River, North Carolina, to Colorado River, Texas (but absent from most of Florida peninsula); frequently observed but rarely in large numbers (Page and Burr 1991). See Campbell (1994 COSEWIC report) for information on occurrences in Canada (rare in Ontario).

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) David Cole, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by David Cole
  2. (c) Noel Burkhead, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/51614465@N08/4751417731/
  3. (c) Jonathan (JC) Carpenter, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jonathan (JC) Carpenter
  4. Adapted by rkkessler from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minytrema_melanops
  5. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://eol.org/data_objects/28829921
  6. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://eol.org/data_objects/34578606
  7. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://eol.org/data_objects/34578603
  8. (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://eol.org/data_objects/28829917
  9. (c) International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://eol.org/data_objects/34578604

More Info

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(c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)

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