Little Colorado River Sucker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little Colorado River sucker |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: |
Catostomidae
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| Genus: |
Catostomus
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| Species: |
"Catostomus sp. 3"
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The Little Colorado River Sucker is a type of freshwater fish found in North America. It's very similar to another fish called the flannelmouth sucker. However, the Little Colorado River Sucker doesn't have the big, fleshy lips that the flannelmouth sucker does. Scientists haven't officially given this fish its own unique species name yet. This fish naturally lives in the upper parts of the Little Colorado River in Arizona. It has also been moved to the Salt River.
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What Does the Little Colorado Sucker Look Like?
The Little Colorado Sucker has a somewhat chubby body shape. Its body is clearly two-toned. The top part of the fish is dark gray or black. Its underside is a whitish-yellow color. Both young and adult fish have these colors.
This fish has a thick tail section, which is called a caudal peduncle. It also has a large head and a mouth that seems bigger than normal. Its lower lips are quite small. The fin on its back, called the dorsal fin, is slightly curved and has a squared-off shape. Little Colorado Suckers can grow up to 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) long. They can weigh almost 1 kilogram (about 2.2 pounds).
Where Does the Little Colorado Sucker Live?
Little Colorado Suckers usually live in pools of water that have a lot of cover and shade. You can also often find them in riffles, which are shallow, fast-moving parts of a river. These fish prefer to stay in small to medium-sized rivers. They can even be found in smaller bodies of water, like creeks.
What Does the Little Colorado Sucker Eat?
The Little Colorado Sucker usually looks for food late in the evening and early in the morning. It spends its time stirring up areas of gravel and sand. This helps it find hidden food.
The larger adult fish do most of the work when it comes to finding food. They search for things like algae and other water plants. Most importantly, they look for small creatures that live in the water, such as aquatic invertebrates.
Why Are Little Colorado Suckers Disappearing?
The number of Little Colorado Suckers is going down. Scientists believe this is mainly because they are losing their natural homes. Many human activities have changed their habitat.
- Building dams: Dams block rivers and change how water flows.
- Moving water: Sometimes water is taken from rivers for farms or cities.
- Erosion: Changes to the land around rivers can make the water muddy or change the riverbed.
These changes mean there are fewer good places for the fish to live. This decrease in their numbers is expected to continue. One way people are trying to help is by making sure enough water stays in the rivers for the fish to survive.
