Head to head
Silver Redhorse vs River Redhorse
A silver redhorse and a river redhorse are both among the largest members of the redhorse group, sharing clean large-river habitat across eastern North America, yet each has taken a completely different approach to standing out, or in one case, not standing out at all.
| Silver Redhorse | River Redhorse | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Moxostoma anisurum | Moxostoma carinatum |
| Signature trait | Large size, plain silvery body | Powerful molar-like throat teeth |
| Fin colour | Grey to olive | Reddish |
| Feeding specialisation | Ordinary sucker feeding | Crushes whole mussel and snail shells |
| Habitat | Clean moderate to large rivers | Clean, large rivers with strong current |
| Main threat | None major | Dam construction and impoundment |
| Relative size | Among the largest redhorse species | Among the larger redhorse species |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Silver Redhorse vs River Redhorse: common questions
How does the river redhorse crush open mussel shells?
The river redhorse has unusually large, molar-like pharyngeal teeth located in its throat rather than its mouth, a specialised crushing tool capable of breaking open snail and mussel shells whole, a feeding adaptation the silver redhorse does not possess to nearly the same degree of power.
Why does the silver redhorse look so plain compared to other redhorse species?
The silver redhorse has a silvery body colouration with grey to olive fins rather than the reddish fins or brassy sheen seen in several other redhorse species, relying on its considerable size rather than colour to distinguish it among the redhorse group.
Which of these two redhorse species is more affected by dams?
The river redhorse has declined in portions of its range due to dam construction and river impoundment, which can eliminate both the fast-flowing water it requires and the native mussel populations it depends on heavily for food, a pressure not documented to the same degree for the silver redhorse.