Castostomus platyrhynchus
Identification Tips:
• Mouth on bottom of head.
• Mouth has a shallow cleft between the lower lips, a deep notch at each corner, and a hardened sheath on the lower jaw.
• Dorsal fin: 10-12 rays
Conservation Status:
| British Columbia | Canada | Natureserve | |
| COSEWIC | Species at Risk Act | ||
| Blue List | Special Concern | Special Concern | G5, S2S3 |
Information Source: BC Conservation Data Centre: http://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/
Life History:
• A very specialized feeder; scrapes algae and aquatic invertebrates from rocks using its chisel-like lower jaw
• Maximum size approximately 25 cm
• Probably a different species than the Mountain Suckers east of the Rockies.
• Little is known about its biology in B.C.
Habitat:
• Found in various river habitats with rocky bottoms.
• Occasionally in Lakes (outside of BC)
Range:
British Columbia
• A scattered distribution; Fraser River between Hope and Chilliwack, North Thompson River near Heffley, Similkameen River near Keremeos, and possibly in Salmo River (Kootenays)
Global
• In the west, from Sacramento River in California north to southern BC
• East of the Rocky Mountains (likely a different species) it occurs from Saskatchewan and Alberta through the Missouri River system
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Primary Information Source:
McPhail, J.D. 2007. The Freshwater Fishes of British Columbia. University of Alberta Press. Edmonton, Alberta.
