Sacramento Sucker

While a native fish to the California Central Valley, the sucker fish can also be found in the state of Oregon. Hopkirk's Endemism in Fishes of the Clear Lake region of Central California publication for University of California Publication in Zoology, explains sucker species morphological features such as scale density varies upon geographical distribution due to hydrographic patterns. For example, the scales of suckers are found in its subspecies relative C. occidentalis mniotilus versus the fine scales of Catostomus occidentalis. The geographic range of the species spans central and northern California. More specifically, drainages of Sacramento-San Joaquin, streams and reservoirs of Oregon Goose Lake upper basin and upper Kern River drainage in San Joaquin and Tulare area as well as coastal spots such as Tomales Bay, and Mad, Bear, Eel, Navarro, Russian, Pajaro, and Salinas River. Suckers inhabit deep pools, undercut banks, or clear streams of river ecosystems from cold to warm temperatures (20-25 degree Celsius). The species occupies elevation zones ranging from 200-600 meters.