05 



A Note ox the Breedinc Habits of the Common or White 



Sucker. 



By Glenn Culbertson. 



While tishins on Bis Creelc in Jefferson County. Ind., last April the 

 wi-iter had an opportunity to observe at short range the spawning habits 

 of the common White Sucker (Catostomus teres). It is the habit of this 

 tish to spaAvn in the swiftly flowing Avater of ripples rather than in the 

 still water of pools, and if I am not mistaken during the night rather than 

 the day. 



In the case under observation there was a school of suckers, some 

 twenty or tweuty-tive in number, and ranging in size from nine or ten 

 inches to thirteen or fourteen inches in length. The location was a short 

 reach of swift water some three or four inches in depth, between tAvo 

 large pools. The ripple was close to a steep bank and was overhung by 

 the branches of trees, making the place rather dark even at noon. The 

 fish with few exceptions were constantly swimming about. noAv in the 

 deeper water and, again for a short time in the shalloAv Avater of the 

 ripples. A few Avere lying quietly on the bottom in the SAvift water. 



My attention on oliserving the school for a feAV minutes Avas soon 

 attracted to a large female, thirteen or fourteen inches in length and two 

 males about ten or eleven inches long. Whenever this particular female 

 SAvam from the pool aT)ove down into the SAvift Avater. the tAvo males, 

 which alAvays swam approximately side b-y side, and some five or six 

 inches apart. Avould endeavor to pass one on either side of the female. 

 In the one case Avhere the actual spaAvning occurred, the tAvo males 

 reached positions close to and on either side of the female and Avith the 

 anterior portions of their her.ds some two inches farther back than that of 

 the female, the heads of all being upstream. While thus stationary in this 

 position the males struck the female each Avith head and then tail, al- 

 ternately, and Avith great rapidity. This motion AVas continued some four 

 or five seconds. At the same time, the SAvift Avater of the ripple below 

 the spaAvning fish became of a milky Avhite color, due to the spermatic 

 tluid of the males. On taking the same female a foAv minutes later the 



6— A. OF SriKvcE, 'O.S. 



