Range and Identity
Moxostoma macrolepidotum has a broad northern and central North American distribution, with selected Atlantic-slope drainages also included. Similar redhorses may share those waters. A red tail or general sucker shape alone is not sufficient to transfer a record between species.
Habitat and Behavior
Adults inhabit rocky pools, runs and riffles in rivers of different sizes, and also occur in lakes. These are several related habitat settings rather than one preferred current speed. A lake record need not contradict the well-documented use of flowing rivers.
Food and Life History
The compiled upper references are seventy-five centimeters total length and four kilograms. Adults feed on bottom-associated insect larvae, while juveniles consume microcrustaceans and midge larvae. The size-related diet change is more informative than assuming the same food proportions throughout life.
Field Note
Include the mouth and overall body in identification photographs. Reliable redhorse identification makes both a size measurement and a habitat observation more useful.
All Lakes With Shorthead Redhorse
Browse all lakes and reservoirs with confirmed Shorthead Redhorse records in our database, listed alphabetically.
Showing 1–24 of 517 lakes · Page 1 of 22
- Aitkin Lake Aitkin, MN
- Alden Lake St. Louis, MN
- Andrusia Lake Beltrami, MN
- Angostura Reservoir Fall River, SD
- Anita Reservoir Yellowstone, MT
- Annie Battle Lake Otter Tail, MN
- Arapooish Pond Big Horn, MT
- Arrowhead Lake Crow Wing, MN
- Arrowhead Lake Itasca, MN
- Artichoke Lake Big Stone, MN
- Astrid Lake St. Louis, MN
- Barren River Lake Allen, KY
- Barrett Lake Grant, MN
- Basswood Lake Lake, MN
- Baxter Lake Isanti, MN
- Bear Lake Itasca, MN
- Becker Lake Stearns, MN
- Bertha Lake Crow Wing, MN
- Big Birch Lake Todd, MN
- Big Birch Lake Todd, MN
- Big Lake Sherburne, MN
- Big Pine Lake Otter Tail, MN
- Big Pine Lake Pine, MN
- Big Pine Lake Pine, MN