Shorthead redhorse

Last updated

Shorthead redhorse
Moxostoma macrolepidotum.jpg
Shorthead redhorse (Moxostoma macrolepidotum)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Catostomidae
Genus: Moxostoma
Species:
M. macrolepidotum
Binomial name
Moxostoma macrolepidotum
(Lesueur, 1817)
Synonyms
  • Catostomus macrolepidotusLesueur, 1817

The shorthead redhorse (Moxostoma macrolepidotum) is a wide-ranging species in North America. The shorthead redhorse is native to central and eastern North America. However, its range has expanded to include areas like the Hudson estuary and Grayson County, Texas. It inhabits small to large rivers and lakes, and lives in the benthic zone. Shorthead redhorse feed on benthic invertebrates and can consume plant material from the benthic environment that it inhabits. When it spawns, shorthead redhorse move into more shallow streams and spawn over gravel or rocky shoals. They will also spawn in springs with swift moving water. The shorthead redhorse is important to humans because it is a game fish. It is also important to anglers because of its role in the ecosystem; it is prey for larger game fish such as northern pike and muskellunge.

Contents

One source gives one of its English names as "common mullet". Others are redfin, redfin sucker, red sucker, redhorse mullet, shorthead mullet, mullet, bigscale sucker, common redhorse, northern redhorse, Des Moines Plunger. [2]

Geographic distribution

Historically, the shorthead redhorse is native to North America. Its native range includes the Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, Mississippi River, and Saint Lawrence River basins. [3] They ranged across from Quebec to Alberta and as far south as northern Alabama and Oklahoma. [4] Shorthead redhorse also originally occupied the Atlantic Slope drainages, ranging from the Hudson River in New York to the Santee River in South Carolina. [4] When the Tennessee Valley Authority started building dams in the 1930s in an attempt to create power, the dams blocked different fish such as striped bass, from moving upstream to their spawning ranges. While some fish ranges have decreased since the construction of the dams, the shorthead redhorse's range has expanded. [4] The shorthead redhorse is a “habitat generalist near the core of its range,” so it can tolerate disturbance better than other related redhorse species such as the river redhorse, M. carinatum. [5] Shorthead redhorse can now be found in the tidal zones of the Hudson River. [4] They are believed to have invaded the Hudson by way of the Mohawk River and have established themselves in the Hudson estuary. [4] Other areas they have been found in include the Embarras River system in Illinois and the Red River below Lake Texoma dam in Grayson County, Texas.[ citation needed ]

Ecology

Shorthead redhorse have a wide habitat range. They live in fresh water and are found in streams, lakes and rivers. [4] [6] Shorthead redhorse can tolerate clear to cloudy water and likes loose substrate like gravel and sand. [7] These fish are benthic feeders that like to feed in riffles and rifle margins. [8] During a study done in Illinois by Sule et al., they found that “shorthead redhorse consumed items from approximately 60 food categories, primarily invertebrate taxa”. [8] Twenty-four to sixty-eight percent of their diet was unidentified when stomach contents were analyzed. Also found, 21-50% of the unidentified matter, or 13% of their total diet, was organic matter. [8] Shorthead redhorse eat the most insects out of all the fish in the sucker family. [7] They can also eat microcrustacea and plant matter. [4] Predators of shorthead redhorse vary depending on size. Juveniles can be eaten by northern pike, walleyes, and smallmouth bass. [7] Adult or larger shorthead redhorse are eaten by northern pike and muskellunge. [7] The shorthead redhorse does not actively compete for food. Because of their wide range of prey and eating the most vertebrates of all the suckers, they do not have a competitor. [8] Humans impact shorthead redhorse habitat. The construction of dams blocked free flowing rivers like the Mississippi in which they live, disrupting their spawning migration routes. Shorthead redhorse are killed easily by pollutants in the water. “The upstream migratory range of shorthead redhorse in a Maryland river decreased due to an increase in chlorinated sewage outfalls”. [8] Factory pollutants are dumped into streams or rivers and will settle onto the bottom. Because such a large portion of the shorthead redhorse's diet is sediment, [9] it ingests high concentrations of the chemicals and can die.[ citation needed ]

Life history

Wanton waste of native fish by the ton - in the 21st century. Four species of redhorse composed the majority (55%) of the take from a single-night bowfishing tournament in Minnesota, where native fish composed > 80% of the total number of fish shot and disposed. More than 1000 redhorse were dumped for disposal in this individual tournament, including piles of shorthead redhorse. For details see 2023 study. Wanton waste of MN native fish by the ton.jpg
Wanton waste of native fish by the ton - in the 21st century. Four species of redhorse composed the majority (55%) of the take from a single-night bowfishing tournament in Minnesota, where native fish composed > 80% of the total number of fish shot and disposed. More than 1000 redhorse were dumped for disposal in this individual tournament, including piles of shorthead redhorse. For details see 2023 study.

The shorthead redhorse spawning season ranges from March to June, depending on location. In order to spawn, the water temperature has to be between 7 and 16 °C (45 and 61 °F). [8] Shorthead redhorse spawn once a year and will travel either upstream or downstream to reach their spawning ground. [8] Spawning areas are usually smaller rivers or steams. [3] They are locally migrant so they do not travel long distances to get their spawning area. [3] Shorthead redhorse spawn in shallows at the edges of sand bars or in riffles over gravel substrate. [8] During spawning, females can produce anywhere from 18,000 to 44,000 eggs. [8] It can take anywhere from 2-5, even 6 years for a shorthead redhorse to become sexually mature. In northern areas of cooler water, growth rates tend to be lower than more southern, warmer areas. [11] The average life span of the shorthead redhorse varies depending on location. More northern locations with cooler water tend to have shorthead redhorse that can live to be approximately 20 years of age. [11] [10] Typical adult size is 12–18 inches (30–46 cm) in length, and 2–3 pounds (0.91–1.36 kg), although some individuals can reach up to 25 inches (64 cm) in length and 6 pounds (2.7 kg) in weight. [12] However, in more southern, warmer water areas, such as the Kankakee River, the average max age is only six to seven. [8] As mentioned previously, the construction of dams has not had a large effect on the population of shorthead redhorse, but it has had some effect. The dams affect the shorthead redhorse just as they do other fish by blocking migration pathways to spawning areas.

Current management and wanton waste

The shorthead redhorse is abundant across its range and has one of the largest ranges of any sucker. [13] This species is not currently endangered or threatened, [3] but has become subject to unregulated bowfishing and wanton waste in the 21st century. [10] In some states like Minnesota, shorthead redhorse disposal from 21st century tournament bowfishing exceeds that of commercial harvest by at least 200 times. [10] As of 2002 there was no management plan for the shorthead redhorse. [7]

Relationship with humans

The shorthead redhorse is becoming a popular game fish for anglers, [14] [15] and a kill-and-dump sportfish via bowfishing. [10] The shorthead redhorse is said to be one of the better tasting fish, however there are many little bones throughout the meat making it superficially unappealing to many American consumers. [8] The meat also spoils rapidly in warm temperatures making it hard to transport. [8] Shorthead redhorse play a key role in their ecosystems as prey for larger game fish. [7] They are often used for bait if caught small enough. Humans impact the population the most through chemical contamination of their habitat. Bioaccumulation of chemicals is common in fish that feed near the benthic zone, like the shorthead redhorse. [16] The current IGFA all tackle world record for the species stands at 5 pounds 6 ounces (2.4 kg), caught from the Prairie River in Minnesota, USA on May 4, 1988 by angler Greg Clusiau. [17]

Related Research Articles

Mullet, mullets, The Mullet or The Mullets may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bigmouth buffalo</span> Species of fish

The bigmouth buffalo is a fish native to North America. It is the largest North American species in the Catostomidae or "sucker" family, and is one of the longest-lived and latest-maturing freshwater fishes, capable of living 127 years and reproducing infrequently. Even at a century old they show no age-related declines, but instead improvements relative to younger individuals, making this species a biological marvel. It is commonly called the gourdhead, marblehead, redmouth buffalo, buffalofish, bernard buffalo, roundhead, or brown buffalo. The bigmouth buffalo is not a carp, nor is any other fish in the sucker family. Although they share the same order, each belong to different suborders and are native to separate continents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black buffalo</span> Species of fish

The black buffalo is a North American species of freshwater fish in the Catostomidae or sucker family. With a lifespan greater than 100 years it is among the longest-lived of freshwater fish species. Found in the Mississippi Basin and southern Great Lakes. It was first discovered in Canada in the western end of Lake Erie and has been reported from Boston Creek. The Tennessee distribution ranges from rivers and streams in the Cumberland Mountains, a few rivers in middle Tennessee, and in west Tennessee along the Mississippi River. The ecology of the species is quite similar to that of I. bubalus. I. niger has a ventrally positioned mouth, making the species’ diet benthic-oriented. It has a distinct shape that mocks I. bubalus and I. cyprinellus, considering it a hybrid between the two species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black redhorse</span> Species of fish

The black redhorse is a species of freshwater fish endemic to Ontario and the eastern half of the United States, where it lives in streams and small to medium rivers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden redhorse</span> Species of fish

The golden redhorse is a species of freshwater fish endemic to Ontario and Manitoba in Canada and the Midwestern, southern, and eastern United States. It lives in calm, often silty or sandy waters in streams, small to large rivers, and lakes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater redhorse</span> Species of freshwater fish found in northeastern North America

The greater redhorse is a species of freshwater fish found in northeastern North America. It is the largest member of the genus Moxostoma, with a maximum length of 80 cm (31.5 in). The greater redhorse is long lived with a maximum reported age of 27 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River redhorse</span> Species of fish

The river redhorse is a species of freshwater fish endemic to the eastern half of the United States and southeastern Canada. They can range from 10 to 30 inches in length and can potentially reach a weight of more than 10 pounds after maturity. It is typically found in clear, large creeks and rivers, though it is sometimes also found in lakes. They are sometimes speared or caught with hook and line using crayfish or worms as bait.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silver redhorse</span> Species of fish

The silver redhorse is a species of freshwater fish endemic to Canada and the United States. It is the longest-lived redhorse known, with a maximum reported age of 41 years. Sometimes called redhorse or sucker for short, it is in the family Catostomidae with other suckers. The species is distributed from Quebec to Alberta and is also in the Mississippi River, St. Lawrence River, Ohio River, and the Great Lakes basins. The current world record is 14 pounds, 14 ounces, caught by Chris Stephenson on Pickwick Lake in Alabama, April 1995 and certified by National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. This species is of growing interest to rod-and-line anglers. The long-lived and late-maturing silver redhorse is also a sportfish pursued by kill-and-dump bowfishing, a 21st century unregulated sport that produces tons of wanton waste, and thus management and conservation are in need of updating.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern hogsucker</span> Species of fish

The northern hogsucker is a freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Catostomidae, the suckers. It is native to the United States and Canada where it is found in streams and rivers. It prefers clear, fast-flowing water, where it can forage on the riverbed for crustaceans, mollusks, aquatic insects, algae and detritus. It turns over small pebbles and scrapes materials off rocks and sucks up the particles, and other species of fish sometimes station themselves downstream from its activities so as to garner disturbed food fragments. Breeding takes place on gravel bottoms in shallow riffles in late spring. This fish is susceptible to such man-made disturbances as channelization, sedimentation, pollution, and dam construction. However, it has a wide range and is a common species so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

Rough fish is a term used by some United States state agencies and anglers to describe fish that are less desirable to sport anglers within a defined region. The term usually refers to larger game fish species that are not commonly eaten, are too rare to be commonly encountered, or are not favorably sought by anglers for sporting purposes. Many of these species are actually very important in the commercial fishing industry, where they make up the bulk of commercial food fish catches in inland freshwater bodies.

<i>Moxostoma</i> Genus of fishes

Moxostoma, the redhorses or jumprocks, is a genus of North American ray-finned fish in the family Catostomidae. Redhorses are variable in size, geographic location, and other ecological traits such as spawning substrate. Several redhorses are long-lived, much like many other catostomid species. The silver redhorse is the longest-lived redhorse known by nearly a decade, with ages exceeding 40 years. Redhorses are broadly of conservation concern, as these long-lived species are highly intolerant to environmental pollution, habitat fragmentation, and are currently subject to unregulated 21st century sport bowfishing which is removing and wantonly wasting several of these species by the ton.

The Prairie River is a river in Itasca County, Minnesota. The river is located in northern Minnesota, near the communities of Taconite, Bovey, Grand Rapids, and La Prairie. It is a tributary of the Mississippi River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blacktail redhorse</span> Species of fish

The blacktail redhorse is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Moxostoma. The blacktail redhorse occupies North America, being located throughout Mississippi River tributaries on the former Mississippi Embayment, ranging from Southern Kentucky to Galveston Bay in Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River carpsucker</span> Species of fish

The river carpsucker is a freshwater fish found in the inland United States and northern Mexico. This species has a slightly arched back and is somewhat stout and compressed. While the fins are usually opaque, in older fish they may be dark yellow. It is distributed along the Mississippi River basin from Pennsylvania to Montana. The river carpsucker, like most suckers, is a bottom feeder and obtains its nutrients from algae, microcrustaceans, and other various tiny planktonic plants and animals found in silty substrates. Like its congener, the quillback, the river carpsucker is long-lived, with a lifespan of more than 45 years. It begins to reproduce typically in late spring, and the female usually releases more than 100,000 eggs. After releasing and fertilizing their eggs, all parental care is ended.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White sucker</span> Species of fish

The white sucker is a species of freshwater cypriniform fish inhabiting the upper Midwest and Northeast in North America, but it is also found as far south as Georgia and as far west as New Mexico. The fish is commonly known as a "sucker" due to its fleshy, papillose lips that suck up organic matter and aufwuchs from the bottom of rivers and streams.

References

  1. NatureServe (2013). "Moxostoma macrolepidotum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T202253A18228990. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202253A18228990.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. "Fish of Indiana: Shorthead Redhorse". fn.cfs.purdue.edu. Archived from the original on 12 December 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Hammerson, G. 2006. Moxostoma macrolepidotum. NatureServe Explorer 06:01 http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Moxostoma%20macrolepidotum
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Fuller, P. 2011. Moxostoma macrolepidotum. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=366
  5. Reid, S.M., Wilson, C. C., Carl, L.M., and Zorn, T.G. 2008. Species traits influence the genetic consequences of river fragmentation on two co-occurring redhorse (Moxostoma) species. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science 9:1892-1904.
  6. Froese, R. 2010. Moxostoma macrolepidotum. FishBase http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?genusname=Moxostoma&speciesname=macrolepidotum
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hatch, J. T. 2002. Shorthead Redhorse. MinnAqua Program http://hatch.cehd.umn.edu/research/fish/fishes/shorthead_redhorse.html#predator
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Sule, M. J.; Skelly, T. M. (1985). The life history of the shorthead redhorse, Moxostoma macrolepidotum, in the Kankakee River Drainage, Illinois (Report). Champaign, IL: Illinois Natural History Survey. doi: 10.5962/bhl.title.15169 . hdl: 2142/17164 . Biological Notes No. 123.
  9. Doyle, J.R., Al-Ansari, A.M., Gendron, R.L., White, P.A., Blais, J.M. 2011. A method to estimate sediment ingestion by fish. Aquatic Toxicology 1-2:121-127.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lackmann, Alec R.; Bielak-Lackmann, Ewelina S.; Jacobson, Reed I.; Andrews, Allen H.; Butler, Malcolm G.; Clark, Mark E. (2023-08-30). "Harvest trends, growth and longevity, and population dynamics reveal traditional assumptions for redhorse (Moxostoma spp.) management in Minnesota are not supported". Environmental Biology of Fishes. doi:10.1007/s10641-023-01460-8. ISSN   1573-5133.
  11. 1 2 Reid, S.M. 2009. Age, growth and mortality of black redhorse (Moxostoma duquesnei) and shorthead redhorse (M-macrolepidotum) in the Grand River, Ontario. Journal of Applied Ichthyology 2:178-183.
  12. "Shorthead Redhorse - Moxostoma macrolepidotum". Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. 2012. Archived from the original on 3 April 2020.
  13. Mongeau, J. R., Dumont, P., and Cloutier, L. 1992. Comparison of the life-cycles of the copper redhorse (Moxostoma- hubbis) and 4 other Moxostoma Species (M- anisurum, M-carinatum, M- macrolepidotum and M-valenciennes). Canadian Journal of Zoology 7:1354-1363.
  14. "Redhorse river: Fishing for St. Croix suckers offers serious sport". St. Croix 360. 2020-05-14. Retrieved 2023-09-04.
  15. Winter, Tyler. "Trash Fish Tuesday: Redhorse". www.themeateater.com. Retrieved 2023-09-04.
  16. Al-Ansari, A.M., Saleem, A., Kimpe, L.E., Sherry, J.P., McMaster, M.E., Trudeau, V.L., and Blais, J. M. 2010. Bioaccumulation of the pharmaceutical 17 alpha-ethinylestradiol in shorthead redhorse suckers (Moxostoma macrolepidotum) from the St. Clair River, Canada. Environmental Pollution 8:2566-2571.
  17. "Redhorse, shorthead (Moxostoma macrolepidotum)". igfa.org. International Game Fish Association. Retrieved 29 November 2022.