Thoburnia rhothoeca

Last updated

Thoburnia rhothoeca
Torrent Sucker.PNG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Catostomidae
Genus: Thoburnia
Species:
T. rhothoeca
Binomial name
Thoburnia rhothoeca
(Thoburn, 1896 )
Synonyms

Catostomus rhothoecusThoburn, 1896

Thoburnia rhothoeca (common name torrent sucker) is a species of fish native to Virginia and West Virginia. [1]

Contents

Description

Thoburnia rhothoeca has a small mouth with lower lip edges that are nearly triangular. [2] The sucker has a small black skull and two air-bladders, although the air-bladders are reduced in size. The fish is small in size, and generally does not exceed seven inches. The fish exhibits sexual dimorphism, and its appearance varies depending on gender. [3]

The male sucker has a narrow red lateral band on it and a long dorsal and ventral fin. The female sucker has a narrow brown lateral band on it, and a shorter dorsal and ventral fin. [3]

Habitat

The habitat of the sucker extends from Northern Virginia to Eastern West Virginia. It is generally found in the James River and its discharges, although populations also exist in the Potomac River and its discharges. [1]

The fish is generally found in creeks and small rivers. It prefers clear waters with a rocky gradient and can live in waters with temperatures ranging from warm to cold. Younger Thoburnia rhothoeca can generally be found in smaller pools. [1]

Behavior

Thoburnia rhothoeca reach sexual maturity after one to two years of life. The sucker reproduces through spawning, which generally occurs from February to May. Female suckers lay an average of approximately 780 oocytes during spawning season with an average diameter of approximately two millimeters. [4]

The sucker is primarily a carnivore. Most of its diet consists of Chironomidae, although it will consume many other of species of insects when they are available. The sucker will also consume detritus. [4]

Conservation status

The sucker is ranked as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Reasons for the rating include the stable population and the large range of the sucker. [1]

Related Research Articles

<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">Australian weasel shark</span> Species of shark

The Australian weasel shark is an uncommon species of ground shark in the family Hemigaleidae. It inhabits shallow waters off northern Australia to a depth of 170 m (560 ft); smaller sharks frequent sand and seagrass habitat and shift to coral reefs as they grow older. A slim, drab species reaching a length of 1.1 m (3.6 ft), it has sickle-shaped fins with dark tips on the second dorsal fin and caudal fin upper lobe. Its upper teeth are broad with strong serrations only on the trailing edge. The lateral line along each side is prominent and exhibits a downward curve below the second dorsal fin.

Sepia australis, the southern cuttlefish, is a species of cuttlefish which is found in the eastern South Atlantic Ocean and the western Indian Ocean off the coasts of Southern Africa, possibly extending into the waters off East Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little tunny</span> Species of fish

The little tunny, also known as the bacora, little tuna, bonita, or erroneously as the blue bonito, is a species of tuna in the family Scombridae. It can be found in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean and Black seas; in the western Atlantic, it ranges from Brazil to the New England states. The little tunny is a pelagic fish that can be found regularly in both offshore and inshore waters, and it is classified as a highly migratory species. The little tunny is best identified by the "worm-like" markings on its back and the dark spots appearing between its pectoral and ventral fins.

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

The Yaqui sucker is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Catostomidae. It is found in the Aridoamerica region of northern Mexico and south-western United States. Catostomus bernardini or Yaqui sucker belongs to the family Catostomidae. The Yaqui sucker is related to the Sonora sucker and could possibly be a subspecies of the Gila sucker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western school whiting</span> Species of fish

The western school whiting, also known as the banded whiting, golden whiting and bastard whiting, is a species of benthic marine fish in the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae. The species is one of three 'school whiting' that inhabit southern Australia and share a very similar appearance. Western school whiting are known to grow to 30 cm in length and 275 g in weight, although unconfirmed reports suggest this might be an underestimate. The western school whiting is distributed along the Western Australian coast from Maud Landing in the north to Rottnest Island in the south. The species inhabits both shallow inshore environments and waters to depths of 55 m. The species is a benthic predator, taking a variety of crustaceans, molluscs and echinoderms, and shows a change in diet with age and habitat. S. vittata is a multiple spawner, reproducing between December and February once it has reached one or two years of age. Juveniles inhabit protected inshore waters, moving offshore once they reach sexual maturity. It is often found in association with other sillaginids and comprises a minor fraction of commercial whiting catches in Western Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longnose shiner</span> Species of fish

The longnose shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Notropis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allegheny pearl dace</span> Species of fish

The Allegheny pearl dace is a species of cyprinid fish. It is a demersal, freshwater fish, with a dark green back and silvery body. This species is omnivorous, consuming algae, as well as arthropods. M. margarita's range spans southern Canada and the northern United States. While not considered endangered at the federal level in the United States, several states either consider this species endangered or threatened; it faces threats of habitat destruction and invasive species.

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

The Modoc sucker is a rare species of freshwater fish native to northern California and southern Oregon. It grows to a length of about 7 in (18 cm) and becomes sexually mature at 4 in (10 cm). It feeds on algae, small invertebrates and detritus, and hides under stones, detritus and overhanging vegetation. It is found in only a few streams and is listed as an endangered species in California and the United States. Conservation measures have been put in place such as fencing the streams in which it lives from livestock. It was previously rated as "endangered" in 1973 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, but this rating has now been changed to "near threatened", and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed the Modoc sucker from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife in 2016.

Percina phoxocephala, the slenderhead darter, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is found in North America in the central Ohio and Mississippi River basins, to northeastern South Dakota and the Lake Winnebago system in Wisconsin, and as far south as the Red River in eastern Oklahoma and northeast Texas, typically in small to medium size rivers. It is a colorful species, with an average length of 6 to 9 centimeters. Males take on a deeper hue during the breeding season. It feeds on insect larvae and other small invertebrates, and spawns between April and June. It is a common fish with a very wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Potomac sculpin</span> Species of fish

The Potomac sculpin is a freshwater species of sculpin that lives in West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

The bigmouth chub is a species of fish native to West Virginia.

<i>Percina roanoka</i> Species of fish

Percina roanoka, the Roanoke darter, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is native to Virginia and North Carolina in the United States and is present in West Virginia, possibly from introduction. It is found in the Roanoke, Tar, and Neuse river systems, typically in small to medium size rivers. It is a colorful species with an average length of 4.3 centimeters (1.7 in). It feeds on insect larvae and other small invertebrates, and spawns in late May and June. It is a common fish with a very wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has classified its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ribbon shiner</span> Species of fish

The ribbon shiner is a species of freshwater fish of the cyprinid genus Lythrurus and is native to the United States.

<i>Sepia elegans</i> Species of cuttlefish

Sepia elegans, the elegant cuttlefish, is a species of cuttlefish in the family Sepiidae from the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It is an important species for fisheries in some parts of the Mediterranean where its population may have suffered from overfishing.

<i>Sepia bertheloti</i> Species of cuttlefish

Sepia bertheloti, the African cuttlefish, is a species of cuttlefish from the family Sepiidae which is found in the warmer waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean off Africa.

<i>Sepia orbignyana</i> Species of cuttlefish

Sepia orbignyana, the pink cuttlefish, is a species of small cuttlefish from the family Sepiidae. It is occurs in the temperate and tropical waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean.

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

The Rio Grande sucker is a North American freshwater fish in the family Catostomidae. It has a typical bottom-feeding phenotype and fills lower trophic levels alongside Rio Grande cutthroat trout and Rio Grande chub species. It is smaller sized in comparison to its other family members, with females being the larger between sexes. Coloration tends to benefit the species due to counter-shading patterns. It is endemic to the Rio Grande basin and was once common throughout. The species has maintained a population in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Northern Mexico, but has faced challenges from the pressure of non-native species, habitat loss, degradation, and a variety of other aquatic ecosystem changes. There is current pressure from environmental organizations to federally list the species as threatened or endangered.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 NatureServe (2013). "Thoburnia rhothoeca". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T202374A18236520. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202374A18236520.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. Page, Lawrence; Burr, Brooks (2011). Peterson Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes of North America North of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN   978-0547242064.
  3. 1 2 Raney, Edward; Lachner, Earnest (1902). Zoology Reprints and Separata, Etc, Volume 142. p. 675.
  4. 1 2 Tarasidis, Alexandra; Powers, Steven (March 2014). "Life-history aspects of Thoburnia rhothoeca (torrent sucker) in southwestern Virginia". Northeastern Naturalist. 21 (1): 108–118. doi:10.1656/045.021.0109. S2CID   85981815 . Retrieved 3 April 2015.