The Carp Sucker 



b. Opercles strongly striate. 



c. Lips tiiin, silvery-white in life, the halves of the lower lip 



meeting in a wide angle, as in C carpio. 



d. Head large, the snout blunt, the nostril near its tip; eye large, 



2,\ to 4 in head. diffonnis, 42 



dd. Head small and pointed, the snout projecting; eye small, 5 



to Sy in head. thompsoni, 42 



cc. Lips full, thick, reddish in life, the halves of the lower meet- 

 ing at an acute angle; first ray of dorsal usually very long. 



velifer, 43 

 bb. Opercles nearly smooth ; otherwise essentially as in C. velifer. 



cyprinus, 43 



Carp Sucker 



Carpiodcs carpio (Rafinesque) 



The carp sucker is the largest of the genus, reaching a weight 

 of 2 or 3 pounds. It occurs in the Ohio Valley and southward 

 to central Texas, but does not appear to be very abundant any- 

 where. 



It is used for food along with the other members of the 

 family, but is perhaps inferior to most of them. It is caught on 

 setlines and in seines. 



Head 4 to 5; depth 2| to 3; eye 4?t in head; D. 30; A. 7; 

 scales 36. Body more fusiform than in any other species, com- 

 pressed, but not much arched; head rather short; muzzle short, but 

 projecting beyond the mouth; anterior rays of dorsal short, and not- 

 ably thickened and long at the base, especially in the adult, the 

 first ray nearer muzzle than base of caudal tin, the longest ray a 

 little more than half base of fm; caudal moderately forked. 



C. diffonnis is an unimportant species occurring in the Ohio 

 Valley and westward in the upper Mississippi Valley. It closely 

 resembles the quillback, but differs in the character of the lower 

 lip. 



C. tumidiis IS perhaps a distinct species found in the lower 

 Rio Grande and southward. 



Lake Carp 



Carpiodes tliompsoni Agassiz 



This fish occurs in the Great Lakes and lakes tributary to the 

 St. Lawrence. It reaches a considerable size; an example take 



42 



