The northern hogsucker (Hypentelium nigricans) 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. It turns over small pebbles and scrapes materials off rocks and sucks up the particles, and other species of fish sometimes station themselves downstream from its activities. Breeding takes place on gravel bottoms in shallow riffles in late spring.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it venomous or poisonous?
We have no record of Northern Hog Sucker being toxic, poisonous or venomous. That is not proof that it is safe. Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Hypentelium etowanum
- Thoburnia rhothoeca
- Moxostoma rupiscartes
- Moxostoma cervinum
- Pseudogobio esocinus
- Abbottina rivularis
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Cypriniformes
- Family
- Catostomidae
- Genus
- Hypentelium
- Species
- Hypentelium nigricans
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