Moxostoma erythrurum

Moxostoma erythrurum
Golden Redhorse – Moxostoma erythrurum – male – Oconaluftee River
Moxostoma erythrurum Lips
Moxostoma erythrurum Lips
Moxostoma erythrurum
Moxostoma erythrurum pharyngeal teeth
FamilyScientific NameAuthorYearCommon Name
CatostomidaeMoxostoma erythrurum(Rafinesque)1818Golden Redhorse

Moxostoma erythrurum

Unique Characters: Circumpeduncle scales modally 12. Lower lip plicate, plicae undissected or with shallow creases. Head medium. Lateral line scales (37)39-43(45). Breast usually full scaled, anteromedial breast scales slightly or moderately smaller than anterior belly scales. Angle of posterior edge of lower lip 90-130(155)°. Snout of breeding males with obvious, medium-sized nuptial tubercles. Restricted to Roanoke and Tennessee River drainage basins.

Similar Species:

Black Redhorse
Moxostoma duquesnei

River Redhorse
Moxostoma carinatum

Moxostoma duquesnei
Black Redhorse – Moxostoma duquesnei
Moxostoma duquesnei
Black Redhorse – Moxostoma duquesnei
Photo Credit: Tim Aldridge
Moxostoma carinatum
River Redhorse – Moxostoma carinatum
Moxostoma carinatum
River Redhorse – Moxostoma carinatum
Photo Credit: Tim Aldridge

Black Redhorse Moxostoma duquesnei. Circumpeduncle scales modally 12. Lower lip plicate, plicae undissected or with shallow creases. Head medium. Lateral line scales (43)44-48(51). Breast usually with a small scaleless area anteromedial; anteromedial breast scales much smaller than anterior belly scales; breast scales embedded. Angle of posterior edge of lower lip (95)120-160(175)°. Snout of breeding males with minute or no nuptial tubercles. Restricted to Tennessee River drainage basins.

River Redhorse Moxostoma carinatum. Circumpeduncle scales modally 12. Pharyngeal arch stout, lower teeth large, molariform. Lips plicate. Head medium or large. Scale bases dark. Upper body dominantly brassy, coppery, or olive in life. Tail red. Snout of breeding males with obvious medium-sized nuptial tubercles. Restricted to Tennessee River drainage basins.

Notchlip Redhorse
Moxostoma collapsum
(in Roanoke basin)

V-lip Redhorse
Moxostoma pappillosum

(in Roanoke basin)

Notchlip Redhorse- Moxostoma collapsum
Notchlip Redhorse – Moxostoma collapsum Lips
Moxostoma pappillosum
V-lip Redhorse – Moxostoma pappillosum
Moxostoma pappillosum lips
Moxostoma pappillosum lips

Notchlip Redhorse Moxostoma collapsum (in Roanoke basin). Circumpeduncle scales modally 12. Lower lip V-shaped, semi-papillose; its fine ridges (plicae) deeply, transversely, and somewhat irregularly dissected. Front of upper lip usually smooth, papillae absent. Lower lip usually abruptly thinned at a point distinctly anterior to it juncture with upper lip.

V-lip Redhorse Moxostoma pappillosum (in Roanoke basin). Circumpeduncle scales modally 12. Lower lip V-shaped. Lower lip papillose, papillae rounded at edges, regularly arranged, small, and mostly subequal or equal in size. Front of upper lip papillose. Lower lip with smoothly curved posterior margin, not abruptly thinned at a point distinctly anterior to its juncture with upper lip. Dorsal fin margin of adults and large juveniles almost always slightly falcate or moderately concave. Caudal peduncle shallow.

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