The
Catostomidae are the
suckers of the
order Cypriniformes, with about 78 species in this
family of freshwater
fishes. The Catostomidae are primarily native to North America, but
Catostomus catostomus is found in both North America and Russia, and
Myxocyprinus asiaticus is from China. They are not usually fished recreationally; they are not highly prized in North America for their flesh, although they are a fairly popular target with
spear fisherman, and in some areas, such as the
Ozarks, they are a common food fish.