Shorthead redhorse

Historically, the shorthead redhorse is native to North America. Its native range includes the Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, Mississippi River, and Saint Lawrence River basins. They ranged across from Quebec to Alberta and as far south as northern Alabama and Oklahoma. Shorthead redhorse also originally occupied the Atlantic Slope drainages, ranging from the Hudson River in New York to the Santee River in South Carolina. Shorthead redhorse can now be found in the tidal zones of the Hudson River. They are believed to have invaded the Hudson by way of the Mohawk River and have established themselves in the Hudson estuary. Other areas they have been found in include the Embarras River system in Illinois and the Red River below Lake Texoma dam in Grayson County, Texas. ==Ecology==

Shorthead redhorse have a wide habitat range. They live in fresh water and are found in streams, lakes and rivers. Shorthead redhorse can tolerate clear to cloudy water and likes loose substrate like gravel and sand. These fish are benthic feeders that like to feed in riffles and rifle margins. During a study done in Illinois by Sule et al., they found that "shorthead redhorse consumed items from approximately 60 food categories, primarily invertebrate taxa". it ingests high concentrations of the chemicals and can die. ==Life history==

composed the majority (55%) of the take from a single-night bowfishing tournament in Minnesota, where native fish composed > 80% of the total number of fish shot and disposed. More than 1000 redhorse were dumped for disposal in this individual tournament, including piles of shorthead redhorse. The average life span of the shorthead redhorse varies depending on location. More northern locations with cooler water tend to have shorthead redhorse that can live to be approximately 20 years of age. Typical adult size is in length, and , although some individuals can reach up to in length and in weight. However, in more southern, warmer water areas, such as the Kankakee River, the average max age is only six to seven. As mentioned previously, the construction of dams has not had a large effect on the population of shorthead redhorse, but it has had some effect. The dams affect the shorthead redhorse just as they do other fish by blocking migration pathways to spawning areas. ==Current management and wanton waste==

The shorthead redhorse is abundant across its range and has one of the largest ranges of any sucker. This species is not currently endangered or threatened, but has become subject to unregulated bowfishing and wanton waste in the 21st century. In some states like Minnesota, shorthead redhorse disposal from 21st century tournament bowfishing exceeds that of commercial harvest by at least 200 times. As of 2002 there was no management plan for the shorthead redhorse. == Relationship with humans ==

The shorthead redhorse is becoming a popular game fish for anglers, and a kill-and-dump sportfish via bowfishing. The current IGFA all tackle world record for the species stands at , caught from the Prairie River in Minnesota, USA on May 4, 1988 by angler Greg Clusiau. ==References==