20 tJNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



bb. Mid-dorsal region just back of the head and in front of the dorsal fin elevated into a sharp- 

 edged hump which is supported by the enlarged interneural bones; median indentation 

 of the lower lip reaching the margin of the lower jaw, the two lobes of the lower lip being 

 distinctly separated at their junction with the lower jaw by a median subtriangular space. 



Xyrauchcn Eigemnann and Kirsch 



Subfamily Ictiobinae 

 The Buffalo Fishes 



Genus CARPIODES Rafinesque 

 The Carp Suckers 



Carpiodes Rafinesque, Ichthyologia Ohiensis, p. 56, 1820. 



Dorsal fin elongate, of more than 24 rays, the first of which is rudimentary, 

 while the third and fourth are much longer than the others, the dorsal fin as a 

 result being higher anteriorly than jxisteriorly; body distinctly compressed and 

 quite deep; scales large, of rather uniform size and loosely imbricated; skull with 

 a large fontanelle. 



The species of the genus Carpiodes, because of their superficial resemblance 

 to the German Carp, are popularly known as "Native Carp." They may, how- 

 ever, be easily distinguished by the absence of barbels and spines. The Carp 

 Suckers feed largely upon mud and vegetable matter and have little value as food 

 fishes since their flesh is so strongly flavored. One species of the genus Carpiodes 

 is recorded from Colorado. 



Carpiodes velifer (Rafinesque) 



QUILLBACK, SaILFISH 



Catostomus velifer Rafinesque, Ichthyologia Ohiensis, p. 56, 1820 (Ohio River). 

 Not Carpiodes velifer (Rafinesque) — JtJDAY, Univ. Colo. Studies, Vol. II, p. iij, igo3 {vide 

 p. 000); JuDAY, Bull. U.S. Fish Com. for 1004, p. 226, 1905 (vide p. 000). 



Body stout and short but quite deep and compressed; dorsal profile strongly 

 arched, ventral profile almost straight; depth of the body at the base of the first 

 ray of the dorsal fin 3 or a little less in the length to the base of the caudal fin; 

 head short and blunt, quite stout, its breadth being contained in its length twice; 

 length of the head 3. s to 4 in the length of the body; eye large, situated in the 

 upper half of the head nearer to the tip of the snout than to the gill opening; 

 diameter of the eye a little more than i in the snout; mouth ventral but slightly 

 oblique, its anterior margin being the more dorsal; dorsal fin of 24 to 30 rays, 

 the first and sometimes the second rudimentary, the third the longest, its length 

 exceeding that of the head; pectorals shorter than the head, not reaching the 

 ventrals; ventrals reaching the anal opening or beyond; anal large, of 7 or 8 

 rays; scales 6 or 7, 35-40, 5 or 6; length under 12 inches. 



