Early development of the genus Carpiodes : (Osteichthyes : catostomidae)

The early development of the three species of carpsuckers is described from the egg to the juvenile period. Means of discriminating among the carpsuckers and other suckers are described. Meristic, morphometric, morphological, and pigment pattern characters are useful for identification at the subfamily, generic, and species levels. The development of carpsuckers is similar to that of buffalos.

Among protolarval carpsuckers, hatching size, preanal myomeres, and establishment of pigment patterns are useful in taxonomic separations. For mesolarvae, metalarvae, and juveniles, head morphology and state of development at particular sizes are useful for identification of species. Of the three carpsuckers, Carpiodes velifer has consistently the smallest total length at particular stages of development. Significantly different morphometric characters are observable among the carpsuckers.

Keywords: Carpiodes carpio, Carpiodes cyprinus, Carpiodes velifer, Ictiobinae, larval development.