FISHES OF PENNSYLVANIA. 31 


Genus PLACOPHARYNX Cort. 
40. Placopharynx carinatus Corr. 
The Big-jawed Sucker. (igure 34.) 
The big-jawed sucker has the body moderately long, heavy forwards, particularly 
at the shoulders, and the tail comparatively slender. The greatest depth equals 
one-fourth of the total length without the caudal, and the least depth of the caudal 
peduncle is two-fifths of the greatest depth. The head is short, thick, with a deep 
and nearly vertical shout; its length is contained about four and one-half times in the 
standard length. The snout is about twice as long as the eye, and more than one- 
third as long as the head. The eye is moderate in size, one-fifth as long as the head, 
placed high; the interorbital width one-half length of head. The mouth is large, 
inferior, with strongly plicate lips, the maxilla reaching to below the posterior 
nostril. The sickle-shaped pharyngeal bone has about ten of its teeth enlarged, in- 
creasing rapidly in size to the lowermost, the crowns of the large teeth with a con- 
cave grinding surface. The dorsal origin is above the thirteenth, and the ventral 
origin below the seventeenth scale of the lateral line. The dorsal base is as long as 
the head without the snout, and the longest ray is three-fourths as long as the head ; 
the last ray is one-half as long as the longest. The ventral does not reach nearly to 
the vent; its length equals two-thirds that of the head. The anal origin is under the 
thirty-first scale of the lateral line; the anal base is one-third as long as the head; 
the longest anal ray 1s four-fifths as long as the head, and nearly three times as long 
asthe last ray. The caudal is large and deeply forked, the middle rays about two- 
fitths as long as the external rays. The pectoral is large, its length six-sevenths that 
of the head. D. ii, 12; A. iii, 7; V.9; P. 16; scales, 6-42-5. Color in spirits pale 
yellowish brown, the fins paler; in life brassy green above, the lower fins red. 
Length of the specimen described, No. 36,090, United States National Museum, from 
the Black Warrior river, 135 inches. 
The big-jawed sucker was, until recently, considered a very rare fish, 
but has been rediscovered in numerous localities, and its range is now 
known to extend from Ohio to Georgia and Arkansas. It is a large- 
sealed fish with a remarkably large mouth. Its color is brassy green, 
paler below, and the ventral and anal fins are red. Externally there is 
very little to distinguish this sucker from some species of buffalo fish, 
but the teeth in the pharynx are very different from those of all other 
suckers. The lower seven to twelve teeth on each side are very large, 
scarcely compressed, truncate and resembling in this respect the teeth 
of some of the minnows rather than suckers. Recent collectors in west- 
ern streams have found this curious large sucker to be a very common 
fish in numerous localities. It grows to a length of two feet, and is ex- 
tensively used for food. According to Prof. 8. A. Forbes it is probable 
that the enlarged teeth of the pharynx are related to a preference for 
molluscan food. In large individuals taken from the Illinois river, 
Prof. Forbes found the food to consist of small shells and insects, the 
latter consisting chiefly of the larvee of water beetles. Aquatic plants 
are occasionally mixed with the food, but probably by accident. 
