The quillback, often known as the buffalo carp, is a type of freshwater fish of the sucker family. It grows to 26 inches (65 cm) and are deeper bodied than most suckers, leading to a carplike appearance. It can be distinguished from carp by the lack of barbels around the mouth. The coloration is silvery and it has large scales. It is called quillback because of the long filament that extends back from the dorsal fin. The species is widely distributed in the eastern and central United States and is found most often in rivers, creekss and clear lakes where there is loose bottom. It feeds on insect larvae and other organisms in the sediment.