Black Redhorse

At a glance

Black Redhorse (Moxostoma duquesnei) is an IUCN Least Concern species regulated in 2 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.

Confirmed by 281 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Ohio, Arkansas, and Tennessee the top jurisdictions by observation count.

Listed under SARA — verify protected-species rules with the issuing agency before retaining or handling.

Notable details

• Black redhorse rarely exceed 15 inches, making them one of the smallest redhorse species.
• They are listed as endangered in Canada, persisting in only a handful of Ontario rivers.
• They favor small, clear, cool streams with gravel bottoms and stable, vegetated banks.
• Black redhorse feed primarily on aquatic insect larvae rather than mollusks like the larger redhorse.
• They are among the most pollution-sensitive suckers and disappear quickly when streams degrade.

Where Black Redhorse are seen

• Ohio36 iNat obs
• Arkansas35 iNat obs
• Tennessee33 iNat obs
• Alabama29 iNat obs
• North Carolina26 iNat obs
• Georgia18 iNat obs

Protected status

• SARA Schedule 1 (threatened): Black Redhorse. Canadian populations — harm/harvest prohibited under SARA s.32-33.

Always verify protected-species rules with the issuing agency before retaining or handling.

Background

The black redhorse (Moxostoma duquesnei, also duquesnii, duquesni) is a species of freshwater fish endemic to Ontario and the eastern half of the United States, where it lives in streams and small to medium rivers.

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Black Redhorse article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.