Quillback, Carpiodes cyprinus
Quillback, Carpiodes cyprinus. Fish caught from the Thames River, London, Ontario, Canada, June 2019. Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Kenneth Tse, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Quillback, Carpiodes cyprinus, is a member of the Sucker or Catostomidae Family, known in Mexico as matalote pluma de nuevo. They are named for the long quill that is formed via the first several dorsal fin rays. Globally, there are three species in the genus Carpiodes, of which two are found in the streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds of Mexico’s freshwater systems.
The Quillback is a large very compressed, heavy-bodied fish with a depth that is 25% to 30% of standard length. They are an overall golden silvery color transitioning to a dark color toward the back. The anal, pectoral and pelvic fins are yellow or orange; their caudal and dorsal fins are gray or silver. They have a small head with a subterminal mouth and no barbels and a humped back. They have a typical sucker mouth that does not extend past the front edge of the eyes. Their anal fin has 7 or 8 rays; their caudal fin is deeply forked; their first dorsal fin has 25 to 33 rays with the anterior ones being five-times longer than the posterior rays. They have a long pointed dorsal fin with a quill that extends to the base of the dorsal fin. They are covered with large close-knit silvery scales and their lateral line is straight.
The Quillback is found in clear water streams, medium-sized rivers, large rivers and lakes. They reach a maximum of 71 cm (2 feet 4 inches) in length and 6.18 kg (13 lbs 10 oz) in weight. As of January 1, 2023, the International Game Fish Association world record stood at 3.66 kg (8 lbs 1 oz), with the fish caught in Lake Manitoba, Manitoba, Canada in 2016. They have good vision as well as an excellent sense of taste and smell to seek out food. Being bottom-feeding omnivores, they travel and feed in schools. They consume insect larvae, crustaceans, mollusks, and protozoa as well as algae and leaves. They are bioeroders and are considered to be an asset to their ecosystem. Quillback move upstream to reproduce over sand and mudflats in slow moving water . They are oviparous and polygynandrous (promiscuous). Mating occurs in schools, with females releasing their eggs and males their sperm simultaneously in water temperatures between 7oC (43oF) and 18oC (63oF) that occur on annual cycles. Each female will release between 15,000 and 65,000 eggs that are left unattended. The eggs hatch in 8 to 12 days and the fry become independent in another 8 to 12 days. The eggs, fry and juveniles are subject to a 60% to 70% mortality rate due to predation by fish, eagles and herons. The adults are not subject to predation. They have life spans of up to eleven years.
The Quillback is a straightforward identification that cannot be confused with any other carpsucker due to their long first dorsal ray. They are also deeper-bodied than most suckers. They can be distinguished from carp by the lack of barbels around the mouth.
The Quillback is found throughout much of North America, ranging from Saskatchewan to Florida, and from South Dakota to Alabama. They were introduced to Mexico as a food fish and have established breeding populations in the northeastern section of the country, in the States of Coachella, Nuevo Leon, Durango and Zacatecas. They are now considered to be an important economic asset to Mexico.
From a conservation perspective the Quillback is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely-distributed, very large populations. However, it has been noted that in some areas their populations have declined significantly. They are a very difficult recreational foe and virtually uncatchable via hook and line; they are caught via unconventional methods including bow shooting, snagging and spearing. They are caught and sold by commercial fishermen in some parts of their range.