4 replies to this topic

[olaf]

I'm writing a piece on common names for suckers, and I'm particularly interested in those very localized ones that would probably never make it into publication. I'm not afraid of the "inappropriate" names that I know are out there.

I've been scouring all the literature I can get my hands on and finding that few of the scientific books (Freshwater Fishes of ______) mention any common names other than the single "official" one. If anyone can suggest articles or books that do provide multiple names for species, please do. (I've already used Cloutman and Olmsted's article on vernacular names and a few other sources I can't remember off the top of my head.)

Thanks!
Olaf

[olaf]

Boxhead I've seen, but never boxhead trout. I'm adding it to my list. Thanks, UncleWillie!

It is interesting that there is such a strong urge to use "trout," "bass" or "salmon" in the names of species unrelated to trout, bass or salmon. Cloutman and Olmsted's list (1983?) of colloquial names in the southeast has some good examples. I'll leave out the actual salmon, trout and bass (and sunfish, which are frequently called "bass"), except when one has the name of one of the others.

• "cypress bass," "cypress trout," "buglemouth bass," and "German bass" for bowfin
• "buglemouth bass," "yellow bass" and "mud bass" for common carp
• "calico bass" and "redfin trout" for the yellow perch (also listed: "Eisenhower")
• "green trout" and "trout" for smallmouth bass
• "bigmouth trout," "green trout," "pond trout" and "lake trout" for largemouth bass
• "eastern salmon" for the blueback herring
• "jack salmon" for the muskellunge (also listed: "alligator")
• "jack salmon" and "spotted trout" for sauger
• "jack salmon" for walleye

I have my theories about this, but would love to hear more. My sucker names project has developed a substantial digression on this topic.

Thanks!

It seems around here, locals know suckers only as "suckers". Although we have a few species of carpsuckers (Carpiodes) around here, Catostomids and carp are often lumped together as carps, suckers, or carpsuckers.. My thesis research has been on Catostomids (focusing on robust redhorse) in the large Piedmont rivers in Georgia, and after two years, nearly all people that ask me what I am doing usually respond: "You are studying suckers? Suckers? You mean carp?"...
Although some people that spend more time on or in the river do know the difference between the redhorse suckers and spotted suckers.

Although when I worked in in the Toccoa River in north Georgia for a summer, it wasn't uncommon to hear northern hogsuckers called "boxhead trout". Other than that, I can't be much help..

[olaf]

I missed that one. I'll find a copy. Thanks!

Freshwater Fishes of Canada lists other common names, for example they have 6 other names for longnose sucker (sturgeon sucker, northern sucker, finescale sucker, red sucker, red-sided sucker, and black sucker).