Moxostoma cervinum

This species also has been referred to as Scartomyzon cervinus. Scartomyzon was for many years regarded as a subgenus of the genus Moxostoma. Smith (1992) raised Scartomyzon to full genus status. Harris and Mayden (2001) used molecular data to examine phylogenetic relationships of major clades of Catostomidae. In all trees, Scartomyzon was paraphyletic and embedded in Moxostoma, and Catostomus was never recovered as monophyletic (Xyrauchen was embedded within Catostomus). They concluded that the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic composition of taxa presently included in Moxostoma and Scartomyzon are in need of further study, as are the relationships and composition of the genera Catostomus, Chasmistes, Deltistes, and Xyrauchen, and the phylogenetic affinites of Erimyzon and Minytrema. Based on molecular data, Harris et al. (2002) recommended that Scartomyzon be subsumed into Moxostoma. Nelson et al. (2004) concurred and included in the genus Moxostoma all species that Smith (1992) had assigned to the genus Scartomyzon.

James River, Virginia, to Neuse River, North Carolina; Piedmont and upper Coastal Plain of Neuse and Tar drainages, North Carolina; largely restricted to mountains and upper Piedmont in Dan and Roanoke systems, North Carolina and Virginia; also occurs in Chowan system (Roanoke drainage) and James drainage, Virginia; apparently introduced in the James River drainage and in the New River drainage, Virginia; common to uncommon (Lee et al. 1980, Page and Burr 1991).

This species is represented by a large number of subpopulations and locations.

Localized threats may exist, but on a range-wide scale no major threats are known.