Biological Survey — Oswego Watershed 97 



Catostomidae Suckers 



16. Catostomus commersonndi commersonnii (Lacepede). — Common sucker, 

 brook sucker, black sucker. Abundant. Warm or cold waters, nearly all types 

 of bottom and current. The most widespread fish of the watershed, occurring 

 in all of the lakes, and nearly all ponds and streams. The commonest of the 

 suckers found in trout streams. The most important member of this family as 

 food, due to its abundance. 



17. Catostomus catostomus (Foster). — Fine-scaled sucker, sturgeon sucker. 

 Rare. Specimens were taken in deep water of Owasco lake. 



18. Hypentelium nigricans (LeSueur). — Hog sucker, stone roller sucker. 

 Common. Shallow streams, warm or cold. Sometimes found in trout waters. 

 Seems to prefer strong to rapid current and hard bottom. Unimportant as a 

 food fish. 



19. Erimyzon sucetta oblongus (Mitchell). — Chub sucker. Common. Shal- 

 low weedy areas of lakes, rivers, ponds and warm streams, where the current 

 is moderate to stagnant and the bottom usually soft. Too small to be im- 

 portant as food, weighing usually less than % pound. 



20. Moxostoma aureolum (LeSueur). — Red-horse sucker, red-fin sucker. Un- 

 common. Adams and Hankinson (1916) cite records from Oneida lake. 

 Small specimens were taken from Canandaigua outlet. 



21. Moxostoma anisurum Rafinesque. — Red-horse sucker, red-fin sucker. 

 Moderately common. Rivers and large warm streams where the current is 

 strong to sluggish and the bottom gravel, silt or mud. Reaches a large size, 

 probably 7 to 8 pounds, and ranks among the best of the suckers as food. 



22. Moxostoma lesueurii. (Richardson). — Short-headed . red-horse, red-fin 

 sucker. Moderately common. Rivers and lakes where the bottom is mud and 

 silt and the current sluggish or stagnant. One of the best of the suckers for 

 food. 



Cypeinidae Minnows 



23. Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus. — German carp. Common. Lakes, rivers and 

 sluggish streams. Often found in weedy situations. Carp were seen spawn- 

 ing from May 8 to June 17 at Canoga marsh. This species is not popular 

 with sportsmen but has excellent possibilities in this region as a commercial 

 fish. 



24. Couesius plumbeus (Agassiz). — Lake chub. Rare. Dr. Eaton's party 

 took specimens from Owasco and Skaneateles lakes in the shallow waters. 



25. Nocomis biguttatus Kirtland. — Horneyhead. Common. Sluggish to 

 moderate current in warm streams of the northern part of the drainage, often 

 among vegetation. 



26. Nocomis micropogon (Cope). — Crested chub. Rare. A single record 

 came from Catherine creek near Montour falls, July 8. Doubtless an im- 

 migrant species, having entered from the Susquehanna system through an old 

 canal which once connected with this drainage. 



27. Rhinidhthys atronasus (Mitchell). — Black-nosed dace. Abundant. 

 Small, shallow creeks of warm or cold water. Prefers strong to rapid current 

 and gravel or rubble bottom. Often found associated with brook trout. 



28. Rhinichthys cataractae (Cuvier and Valenciennes). — Long-nosed dace. 

 Common. Shallow streams. Warm or cool water. A fish of the rapids, 

 being found in rapid to torrential current where the bottom is rubble. 



29. Leucosomus corporalis (Mitchell). — Fallfish, silver chub. Large warm 

 or cool streams, occasionally in lakes. Usually found in moderate to strong 

 current and mud or gravel bottom. The largest native minnow of the region. 

 Will rise to artificial fly. The flesh is bony and rather soft. In Owasco out- 

 let this fish was formerly taken by anglers as "whitefish." 



30. Semotilus atromaculatus) (Mitchell). — Horned dace, chub. Abundant. 

 Warm or cold streams, occasionally in lakes. Inhabits most trout streams. 

 Found usually in moderate to rapid current over bottoms ranging from muck 

 to rubble. 



31-a. Margariscus margarita margarita (Cope). — Pearl minnow. Rare. 

 Found only near headwaters of certain streams toward the southern limit of 

 the drainage. Probably has reached our watershed by means of former con- 



