6o VERTEBRATE ANIMALS OF THE UNITED STATES 



Key to the Species of Moxostoma 



ai On the Atlantic slope. 



bi Lips papillose M. papillosum. 



ho Lips not distinctly papillose. 



Ci Dorsal fin with usually 13 rays M. crassilabre. 



c-y Dorsal fin with 10 to 12 rays. 



di Scales of lateral line 50 M. rupiscartes. 



di Scales in lateral line 43 M. cervinum. 



a2 In the central States. 



bi In the Great Lakes and upper Mississippi regions. 



Ci Rays of dorsal fin 15 to 18 M. anisurum. 



C2 Rays of dorsal fin 10 to 14. 



di Lobes of caudal fin equal M. aureolum. 



d2 Upper lobe of caudal fin the longer M. breviceps. 



h-y In the region of the southern Mississippi M. pcecilnriim. 



M . papillosum {Cope) . White mullet. Length 600 mm.; head and 

 depth 4; color silvery; lower fins usually reddish; lips full, the folds 



broken into papillae; rays of dorsal fin 12 to 14; 

 scales 6-42-5: Atlantic slope, from Dismal 

 Swamp to central Georgia; common. 



M. anisurum (Raf.). Whitenose. Length 

 450 mm.; head 4; depth 3 to 4; color silvery; 

 fins large; lower fins reddish; rays of dorsal fin 

 15; scales 6-42 to 45-6; lips plicate; mouth 

 large: Great Lakes region and Ohio River basin; 

 Fig. 29— Lips of Mo.xos- not common. 



totna aureolum {from Fishes -, _ 7 /t o \ /^ ^^ 



of Illinois). M . aureolum (LebueuY) . Common redhorse 



(Fig. 29). Length 600 mm.; head 4 or 5; depth 

 3.5; color olivaceous; sides silvery; lower fins red in adult; rays of 

 dorsal fin 12 to 14; scales 5-41 to 45-5 to 7; head small; lips thick: Lake 

 Ontario to upper Mississippi Valley; southwestward to Missouri and 

 Arkansas; southeastward to North Carohna and Georgia; common; the 

 most important food fish of the genus. 



M. crassilabre (Cope). Length 600 mm.; head 5; depth 3.5; color 

 pale yellowish or reddish; rays of dorsal fin 12 or 13; scales 5-44-5; lips 

 full: eastern North Carohna; abundant. 



M. breviceps (Cope). Length 300 mm.; head 5; depth 3.5; color 

 silvery; lower fins bright red; rays of dorsal fin 12 or 13; scales 6-45-5; 

 upper lobe of caudal fin much longer than the lower: Great Lakes and 

 Ohio Valley; abundant in Lake Erie. 



M. rupiscartes Jordan & Jenkins. Length 300 mm.; head 5; 

 depth 5.5 to 6; color olive brown; rays of dorsal fin 11; anal 8; scales 



