Ictiobus bubalus (Rafinesque), smallmouth buffalo. Stations 1-S, 3-S, 6-S, 7-G, 18-G, 38-S, 41-S, 43-S, 46-M, and 53-S.
This species was found in relatively quiet waters in the main channel, in cut-off areas, and in creek-mouths. The ages and total lengths of 30 individuals obtained at Station 6-S were (average followed by number of fish in parentheses): I, 2.4 (11); II, 4.4 (14); and III, 6.6 (5).
Canfield and Wiebe (1931:6-7, 10) recorded "buffalo-fish" and "buffalo" from the Big Blue Basin in Nebraska; however, no specific designation was given.
Carpiodes forbesi Hubbs, plains carpsucker. Station 3-S.
This represents the first record known to me of the plains carpsucker from Kansas. The specimen (KU 4180), 430 mm. in standard length, has the following characters: lower lip without a median, nipple-like projection; dorsal fin-rays, 25; lateral-line scales, 38; diameter of orbit into distance from anterior nostril to tip of snout, 1.1; body-depth into standard length, 3.3; and head-length into standard length, 3.9. The specimen was taken while shocking a wide, shallow channel, over sand bottom.
Carpiodes carpio carpio (Rafinesque), river carpsucker: Jennings (1942:364). Stations 1-S, 2-S, 3-S, 4-S, 5-G, 6-S, 7-G, 8-S, 9-G, 11-G, 14-S, 15-S, 18-G, 19-G, 23-G, 25-S, 27-G, 28-G, 30-M, 38-S, 39-S, 41-S, 42-S, 43-S, 44-S, 45-M, 50-S, 52-S, and 53-S.
The river carpsucker occurred at most stations on the larger streams, and in many of the smaller tributaries. In smaller streams C. c. carpio frequented the largest pools, in or near the floodplains of larger streams. A marked preference for still water, soft, silty bottoms, and areas with drift or other cover was apparent; however, the species also occurred in open waters with moderate to swift currents.
The sizes attained by the river carpsucker at different ages were (averages followed by number of fish in parentheses): I, 1.9 (10); II, 3.9 (5); III, 5.3 (8); IV, 7.7 (5); V, 11.9 (2); VI, 11.6 (7); VII, 12.8 (6); VIII, 13.1 (1); IX, 14.9 (2); X, 15.8 (8); and XI, 17.6 (1). These averages are significantly less than those reported by Buchholz (1957:594) for the river carpsucker in the Des Moines River, Iowa.
Examination of the gonads of river carpsucker in summer, 1957, indicated that spawning occurred in late July. Young-of-the-year, averaging 21 mm. in total length, first appeared in my collections on July 30, 1957.
Carpiodes velifer (Rafinesque), highfin carpsucker: Meek (1895:135); Evermann and Cox (1896:389).