Ictiobus niger

Ictiobus niger
Black Buffalo – Ictiobus niger
Photo Credit: Luke Etchison
FamilyScientific NameAuthorYearCommon Name
CatostomidaeIctiobus niger(Rafinesque)1819Black Buffalo

Ictiobus niger

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 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.

Ictiobus-niger_Luke-Etchison. Symmetrical opercle.

Similar Species:

Smallmouth Buffalo
Ictiobus bubalus

Bigmouth Buffalo
Ictiobus cyprinellus

Ictiobus bubalus
Smallmouth Buffalo – Ictiobus bubalus
Ictiobus cyprinellus
Bigmouth Buffalo – Ictiobus cyprinellus
Photo Credit: Brian Zimmerman

Smallmouth Buffalo Ictiobus bubalus. 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.

Bigmouth Buffalo Ictiobus cyprinellus. Subopercle symmetrical (rounded). Tip of upper lip nearly level with lower margin of eye. Mouth oblique and large.

Carpiodes species

Common Carp
Cyprinus carpio

Carpiodes cyprinus
Quillback – Carpiodes cyprinus
Cyprinus carpio Barbel
Cyprinus carpio Barbel

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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