Ictiobus bubalus
| Family | Scientific Name | Author | Year | Common Name |
| Catostomidae | Ictiobus bubalus | (Rafinesque) | 1818 | Smallmouth Buffalo |
Unique Characters: Subopercle symmetrical (rounded). Tip of upper lip far below eye, midway between lower margin of eye and bottom of head. Mouth nearly horizontal and small. Eye diameter greater than distance from fleshy posterior tip of maxilla to fleshy anterior tip of lower jaw (may not be true in extremely large fish) ; body deep and compressed , body depth , even in juveniles , usually less than 2.7 times in standard length ; back sharply ridged anterior to dorsal fin.
Similar Species:
Bigmouth Buffalo
Ictiobus cyprinellus
Black Buffalo
Ictiobus niger
Photo Credit: Brian Zimmerman
Photo Credit: Luke Etchison
Bigmouth Buffalo Ictiobus cyprinellus. Subopercle symmetrical (rounded). Tip of upper lip nearly level with lower margin of eye. Mouth oblique and large.
Black Buffalo Ictiobus niger. Subopercle symmetrical (rounded). Tip of upper lip far below eye, midway between lower margin of eye and bottom of head. Mouth nearly horizontal and small. Eye diameter equal to or less than distance from fleshy posterior tip of maxilla to fleshy anterior tip of lower jaw in adults ; body depth usually more than 2.9 times in standard length; back rounded anterior to dorsal fin. Restricted to lower French Broad River in Madison County.
Carpiodes species
Common Carp
Cyprinus carpio
Carpiodes species. Subopercle asymmetrical (triangular).
Common Carp. Cyprinus carpio. Barbels on upper jaw and a serrated spine-like ray in the dorsal and anal fins.
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