Early Development of the Blue Sucker, Cycleptus elongatus

Abstract

Cycleptus elongatus, a large-river catostomid of the southeastern and central United States, was artifically spawned from broodstock taken from the Alabama River in Alabama. Larvae were reared to the juvenile stage. Posthatching ontogeny of larvae of Cycleptus is similar to that reported for other catostomids. Distinguishing characteristics for protolarval blue suckers are preanal and total myomere counts, pigment pattern, dorsal origin of the median fin fold, ratio of eye diameter to head length, and sizes at particular stages of development. The blue sucker in later phases of development is distinguishable from other catostomids by numbers of preanal and total myomeres and length of dorsal fin.