lake chubsucker

lake chubsucker (Erimyzon sucetta)
Photo © Isaac Szabo/Engbretson Underwater Photography

The lake chubsucker grows to 16 inches in length. Its distinguishing features include no dark blotches along the side, a single, rounded dorsal fin and 34-39 lateral scales. As with all suckers, it has thick lips. There are no spines in the fins. The pelvic fins are in the abdominal region, and the anal fin is far back on the body. There is a dark stripe along the mid-side.

The lake chubsucker lives in lakes, swamps, ponds and sloughs. Spawning occurs from May into June. It eats small invertebrates that it finds on the bottom of the water body.

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Catostomidae