Quillback

Quillback
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Catostomidae
Genus: Carpiodes
Species:
C. cyprinus
Binomial name
Carpiodes cyprinus
(Lesueur, 1817)
Synonyms
  • Catostomus cyprinus (Lesueur, 1817)

The quillback (Carpiodes cyprinus), also known as the quillback sucker, is a type of freshwater fish of the sucker family widely distributed throughout North America. It is deeper-bodied than most suckers, leading to a fuller-bodied appearance. However, the quillback is not a carp. Quillback are catostomids, and like all catostomids, they do not have barbels around the mouth. The quillback is long-lived, with age up to 30 years, 44 years, 49 years, and 52 years documented across different studies throughout North America.