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Ictiobus bubalus

(Rafinesque, 1818)

Smallmouth Buffalo

G5Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105191
Element CodeAFCJC07010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderCypriniformes
FamilyCatostomidae
GenusIctiobus
Concept Reference
Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Hybridization with Ictiobus cyprinellus has been reported (Lee et al. 1980). See Smith (1992) for a study of the phylogeny and biogeography of the Catostomidae.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2012-02-20
Change Date1996-09-19
Edition Date2012-02-20
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Range Extent200,000 to >2,500,000 square km (about 80,000 to >1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Range Extent Comments
Range includes the lower Great Lakes, Red River (Hudson Bay), and Mississippi River basins from Pennsylvania and Michigan to Montana and south to Gulf; Gulf Slope drainages from Mobile Bay, Alabama, to Rio Grande, Texas and New Mexico; also in Mexico; introduced in impoundments in Arizona, North Carolina, and possibly elsewhere (Page and Burr 2011).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of occurrences (subpopulations).
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats are known.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Habitat includes pools, oxbow lakes, and deeper waters of large rivers; sometimes backwaters and mouths of smaller rivers; reservoirs and lakes. This species prefers clean to moderately turbid, deep, warm waters (Sublette et al. 1990). In Texas, habitats with abundant aquatic vegetation and silt bottoms were most productive (see Sublette et al. 1990). Spawning occurs n quiet pools, backwaters, flooded marshes, and meadows. Eggs sink and adhere to objects.

Reproduction

Spawns in spring and summer, the date depending on locality. Eggs hatch in 1-2 weeks. Sexually mature in one to several years, at younger age in south than in north (Becker 1983).
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLAND
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
AlabamaS5Yes
IllinoisS3Yes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
New MexicoS3Yes
MinnesotaSNRYes
LouisianaS5Yes
MichiganSNRYes
NebraskaSUYes
KentuckyS4Yes
TexasS5Yes
OhioS4Yes
IowaS5Yes
West VirginiaS4Yes
WisconsinS5Yes
North DakotaSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
ArizonaSNANo
ArkansasS4Yes
GeorgiaS3Yes
MontanaS5Yes
MississippiS5Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
IndianaS4Yes
KansasS5Yes
South DakotaS5Yes
North CarolinaS1Yes
TennesseeS5Yes
CanadaNNA
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioSNANo
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
No known threats———

—

Roadless Areas (2)
North Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainPisgah National Forest11,085
Tennessee (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainCherokee National Forest11,743
References (35)
  1. Becker, G. C. 1983. Fishes of Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. 1,052 pp.
  2. Boschung, H. T., and R. L. Mayden. 2004. Fishes of Alabama. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. 960 pp.
  3. Burr, B. M., and M. L. Warren, Jr. 1986a. Distributional atlas of Kentucky fishes. Kentucky Nature Preserves Commission, Scientific and Technical Series No. 4, Frankfort, Kentucky. 398 pp.
  4. Burr, Brooks M. (Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University) and Donovan B. Henry. 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI. June 2000.
  5. Cooper, E. L. 1983. Fishes of Pennsylvania and the northeastern United States. Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park. 243 pp.
  6. Cross, F. B., and J. T. Collins. 1995. Fishes in Kansas. Second Edition, revised. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History. xvii + 315 pp.
  7. Douglas, N. H. 1974. Freshwater fishes of Louisiana. Claitor's Publishing Division, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 443 pp.
  8. Eberle, Mark (Fort Hays State University, KS). 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI. April 2000.
  9. Etnier, D. A., and W. C. Starnes. 1993. The fishes of Tennessee. University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, Tennessee. xiv + 681 pp.
  10. Fago, D. 2000. Relative abundance and distribution of fishes in Wisconsin. Fish Distribution Database to year 2000. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
  11. Harlan, J. R., E. B. Speaker, and J. Mayhew. 1987. Iowa fish and fishing. Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa. 323 pp.
  12. Holton, G. D., and H. E. Johnson. 1996. A field guide to Montana fishes. 2nd edition. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Montana State Parks and wildlife Interpretive Association, Helena, Montana. 104 pp.
  13. Hrabik, Robert A. (Missouri Department of Conservation). 1997. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Ruth Mathews, TNC. May 1997.
  14. Jester, D. B. 1973. Life history, ecology, and management of the smallmouth buffalo, <i>Ictiobus bubalus</i>, (Rafinesque), with reference to Elephant Butte Lake. New Mexico State University Agricultural Experiment Station Research Report No. 261. 111 pp.
  15. Lang, Nicholas (Illinois Natural History Survey). 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI. March 2000.
  16. Lee, D. S., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980. Atlas of North American freshwater fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina. i-x + 854 pp.
  17. Matthews, William J. (Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, University of Oklahoma). 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI. June 2000.
  18. Menhinick, E. F. 1991. The freshwater fishes of North Carolina. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. 227 pp.
  19. Mettee, Maurice. F. "Scott" (Icthyologist, Geological Survey of Alabama). 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, TNC. April 2000.
  20. Mettee, M. F., P. E. O'Neil, and J. M. Pierson. 1996. Fishes of Alabama and the Mobile Basin. Oxmoor House, Birmingham, Alabama. 820 pp.
  21. Nelson, J. S., E. J. Crossman, H. Espinosa-Perez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, and J. D. Williams. 2004. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 29, Bethesda, Maryland. 386 pp.
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  25. Page, L. M., K. E. Bemis, T. E. Dowling, H.S. Espinosa-Pérez, L.T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, K. E. Hartel, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, M. A. Neigbors, J. J. Schmitter-Soto, and H. J. Walker, Jr. 2023. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Eighth edition. American Fisheries Society (AFS), Special Publication 37, Bethesda, Maryland, 439 pp.
  26. Pflieger, W. L. 1975. The fishes of Missouri. Missouri Department of Conservation. Columbia, Missouri. viii + 343 pp.
  27. Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
  28. Robison, H. W. and T. M. Buchanan. 1988. Fishes of Arkansas. The University of Arkansas Press, Fayetteville, Arkansas. 536 pp.
  29. Ross, S. T., and W. M. Brenneman. 1991. Distribution of freshwater fishes in Mississippi. Freshwater Fisheries Report No. 108. D-J Project Completion Report F-69. Mississippi Department of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries and Parks. Jackson, Mississippi. 548 pp.
  30. Ross, Stephen T. (University of Southern Mississippi, Department of Biological Sciences). 2001. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI.
  31. Smith, G. R. 1992. Phylogeny and biogeography of the Catostomidae, freshwater fishes of North America and Asia. Pages 778-826 in R.L. Mayden, editor. Systematics, historical ecology, and North American freshwater fishes. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. xxvi + 969 pp.
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