Highfin carpsuckers have a small, sub-terminal (ending below tip of snout) mouth. The back is highly arched and the lateral line is nearly straight. They are silvery on the sides with a white belly and the lower fins can be orange or yellow. The tale and dorsal fins are gray to silver in color. The first several rays of the dorsal fin form a very long quill. They differ from the quillback carpsucker by having a fleshy knob on the front edge of the lower lip and are much taller bodied than the river carpsucker. Also called humpbacks, highfin carpcukers are in the Catostomidae (suckers) family. Adults are typiaclly 9-12 inches long (sometimes up to 15 inches) and usually weigh 1 pound or less (can reach 2 pounds).