Buffalo, smallmouth Ictiobus bubalus

Rafinesque, 1818

CATOSTOMIDAE FAMILY
Also called razorback buffalo, roachback, thicklipped buffalo

Second in size in the sucker family the smallmouth buffalo is found in the same general areas of North America as the bigmouth buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus), and has been introduced into Arizona.

It resembles its large relative, the bigmouth buffalo, closely in most respects, but can be distinguished by a number of factors. It is generally lighter in color than other buffalos, having an olive bronze cast. Also the body is somewhat more compressed with a higher arch in the back, and the small, subterminal mouth is almost horizontal instead of slanted, though it protracts downward in typical sucker fashion when the fish is feeding.

It is reputed to be an even better food fish than the bigmouth buffalo, but the species is less

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