Species profile
Northern Hog Sucker
Hypentelium nigricans
At a glance
Northern Hog Sucker (Hypentelium nigricans) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species regulated in 2 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
Confirmed by 2,938 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Ohio, Tennessee, and North Carolina the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- It uses its large, fleshy lips to flip small rocks and vacuum invertebrates from the stream bottom.
- Reaches about 18 inches in length in ideal conditions.
- Found only in clear, fast-moving streams and rivers of eastern North America.
- Its presence typically signals good water quality — it disappears from polluted streams.
- Can live up to about 11 years in the wild.
Where Northern Hog Sucker are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Northern Hog Sucker
Background
The northern hogsucker is a freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Catostomidae, the suckers. It is native to the United States and Canada where it is found in streams and rivers. It prefers clear, fast-flowing water, where it can forage on the riverbed for crustaceans, mollusks, aquatic insects, algae and detritus.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Northern Hog Sucker article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.