Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Cypriniformes
- Family
- Catostomidae
- Genus
- Catostomus
- Species
- bernardini
Habitat
Yaqui suckers inhabit clear, cool streams and rivers with gravel or rocky substrates in arid regions, primarily in the Rio Yaqui basin of southeastern Arizona and northern Mexico. They prefer areas with moderate water flow and some vegetative cover, avoiding stagnant or polluted waters. These habitats are often in desert uplands, making them vulnerable to seasonal droughts.
Diet
Yaqui suckers primarily feed on algae, detritus, and small aquatic invertebrates like insects and crustaceans scraped from the river bottom. They use their specialized mouth to forage during daylight hours, often in shallow riffles. Feeding behavior is opportunistic, adapting to available food sources in their stream environments.
Behavior
Yaqui suckers are generally solitary or form loose schools, preferring to hide among rocks and vegetation during the day to avoid predators. They are diurnal and exhibit migratory behavior upstream for spawning in spring. This species shows territorial aggression among males during breeding but is otherwise non-aggressive.
Conservation Status
Listed as Data Deficient by IUCN.