Carpsucker ID tips (head shape and mouth position)

<p>Hey all working on a new set of illustrations and have some studies drawn up based on a lot of average looking specimans.&nbsp;<br /> Thought I would share some carpsucker ID tips that are a little outside of the normal methods.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><br /> <br /> Typically you ID them based on dorsal quill length and the lower lip having a nipple or not.&nbsp;<br /> Issue here is the dorsal quill often is broken or larger on smaller fish. And the nipple though often obvious is often decieving if you have not seen it in person. &nbsp;Often quillbacks will have lip damage or scarring that gives the apearance and ocasionally other carpsuckers have a very poorly defined or assemetrical one.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Highfin carpsuckers.&nbsp;</strong><br /> Very very deep bodied fish. The head is very blunt and flat faced. &nbsp;(like it did a 20yd dash in a 19yd gym) This is very very noticable when seen in person. In addition the leading ede of the lower lip is even or nearly even to the leading edge of the nare.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><br /> <strong>River carpsuckers.</strong><br /> More elongated body with a head shape that is small and rounded similar to many suckers in a way. they tend to have a sleaker more streamlined body shape. Like highfins the leading edge of the lower lip is even or nearly even to the leading edge of the nare.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><br /> <strong>Quillback.&nbsp;</strong><br /> Quillback have a boxier body shape and a very angular head shape.&nbsp;<br /> Often with a noticable point on the tip of the nose. &nbsp;Unlike the other carpsuckers the Quillbacks leading edge of the lower lip is well in front of the leading edge of the nare.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> Below are some drawing shwoing the headshape and mouth position in relation to the nares.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> Hope this helps some people on your fish quests.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> <img alt="" src="http://www.roughfish.com/sites/default/files/carpsucker3.jpg" style="width: 469px; height: 1024px;" /><img alt="" src="http://www.roughfish.com/sites/default/files/Carpsucker1_0.jpg" style="width: 469px; height: 1024px;" /></p>