''Ictiobus'', also known as buffalofish or simply buffalo, is a
genus of freshwater fish native to North America, specifically the United States, Canada, Mexico, and
Guatemala
Guatemala ( ; ), officially the Republic of Guatemala ( es, República de Guatemala, links=no), is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico; to the northeast by Belize and the Caribbean; to the east by H ...
. They are the largest and longest-lived of the North American
suckers, reaching up to in length
and more than 125 years of age.
At up to 127 years for
bigmouth buffalo, they can reach the highest known age for any freshwater
teleost, which is a group of more than 12,000 species.
Buffalofish are not
carp
Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. While carp is consumed in many parts of the world, they are generally considered an invasive species in parts of ...
, nor is any other
catostomid;
they belong to different scientific families having evolved on separate continents. Buffalofish live in most types of freshwater bodies where panfish are found, such as ponds, creeks, rivers, and lakes. ''Ictiobus'' were caught by the
Lewis and Clark Expedition.
From an angler's point of view, buffalofish were historically not a popular
game fish because they are difficult to catch by hook and line (even though they put up a great fight). However, in the 21st Century new sportfisheries have emerged and have quickly made them easy targets of night
bowfishing. They are now
game fish in practice across much of their range, are in decline,
and protective measures are needed.
Species
Five species are placed in the genus:
[
* '' Ictiobus bubalus'' ( Rafinesque, 1818) (smallmouth buffalo)
* '' Ictiobus cyprinellus'' ( Valenciennes, 1844) (bigmouth buffalo)
* '' Ictiobus labiosus'' ( Meek, 1904) (fleshylip buffalo)
* '' Ictiobus meridionalis'' ( Günther, 1868) (Usumacinta buffalo)
* '' Ictiobus niger'' ( Rafinesque, 1819) (black buffalo)
]
See also
* Haff disease
References
External links
Ictiobinae Research - Ictiobus
* In Héctor Tobar's 2010 nove
''Barbarian Nurseries''
James "Sweet Hands" Washington remains as the only African-American in a now Hispanic neighborhood because " ecould still take a couple of buses and find the last place in South Los Angeles that served Louisiana buffalo fish." (p. 182)
*
Bizarre Foods Season 9 Episodes 7 Magnificent Mississippi River
Catostomidae
Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque
{{Catostomidae-stub