The black redhorse is found throughout the central part of the upper Mississippi basin, the southern Great Lakes basin and in southeastern Minnesota, Iowa , Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. It occurs in clean, swift flowing creeks and rivers with bottoms of gravel, rock, or sand and has a low tolerance for pollution, siltation, or turbidity. In Minnesota, Black Redhorse have been found mainly in pools with woody debris and deep runs with cobble and boulder substrates. The black redhorse is the only Moxostoma that has 10 pelvic fin rays; all other species have nine. The lateral line has 44 to 47 scales (versus 39 to 42 for the golden).