Life history of the bridgelip sucker in the central Columbia River
In the central Columbia River, southeastern Washington, bridgelip suckers (Catostomus columbianus) were common in deep water with strong currents during daylight and moved into slower shallow water at night. Mean calculated fork lengths (FL) in millimeters at annulus formation were age I, 63; II, 148; III, 224; IV, 291; V, 335; VI, 361; VII, 387; VIII, 401; IX, 408. Back calculated lengths approximated lengths at capture for respective ages. The length-weight (W) relationship for both sexes was log/sub e/W = -12.65 + 3.25 log/sub e/FL. Both sexes reached maturity at about 350 mm FL and age VI. Peak spawning in all years occurred during May in water temperatures of 8 to 13 C. Breeding males and females both exhibited a narrow red lateral line stripe. Estimated egg numbers per mature female ranged from 9,995 to 21,040. Bridgelip sucker diet was almost entirely periphyton, except fish smaller than 150 mm FL utilized mainly aquatic insect larvae and zooplankton. Variability of taxonomic characters caused some difficulty in distinguishing bridgelip suckers from sympatric largescale suckers (C. macrocheilus).
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA
- OSTI ID:
- 5410477
- Journal Information:
- Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.; (United States), Vol. 109:1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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