White bullhead

The white bullhead (Ameiurus catus), also known as the white catfish, is a member of the family Ictaluridae of the order Siluriformes.

White bullhead
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Ictaluridae
Genus: Ameiurus
Species:
A. catus
Binomial name
Ameiurus catus
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms[2][3]
  • Silurus catus Linnaeus, 1758
  • Ictalurus catus (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Pimelodus catus (Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Pimelodus albidus Lesueur, 1819
  • Ichthaelurus kevinskii Stauffer, 1869
  • Amiurus lophius Cope, 1870
  • Pimelodus lynx Girard, 1859
  • Ichthyaelurus mccaskei Stauffer, 1869
  • Amiurus niveiventris Cope, 1870

Distribution

The white bullhead is native to river systems of the Eastern United States from the Hudson River in New York to the Peace River in Florida and west to the Apalachicola River, Florida.[4] White bullheads may have migrated naturally into Connecticut rivers as a result of the white bullhead's salt tolerance.[4] Elsewhere, the white bullhead has been widely introduced as a food and game fish, notably into California waters as a result of intentional stocking near Stockton[5] in 1874.[5][6] It has additionally become established in the Columbia River basin and in Puerto Rico as an introduced species.[4][6] It was reportedly introduced to the Philippines but did not become established there.[6] Escapees from fee-fishing ponds and stocked lakes have led to the establishment of white bullhead in Missouri.[7]

Description

Ameiurus catus has a head with eight barbels, two nasal, two maxillary and four chin. It is scaleless. It has a spine on the anterior edge of its dorsal and pectoral fins. It usually has six dorsal soft rays. It does not have palatine teeth.[8] It typically weighs between 0.5 and 2.0 pounds (0.23 and 0.91 kg),[7] however, it can attain weights upwards of 10 pounds (4.5 kg).[9]

Habitat

Ameiurus catus prefers sluggish, mud-bottom pools and backwaters of rivers and streams, and does well in lakes and large impoundments.[10]

Behavior

Feeding

White catfish feed mostly on the bottom, where they eat other fish and aquatic insects. They feed most actively at dusk and through the night[5] mostly on bottom-dwelling insects, worms, amphipods, and other small invertebrates.

Reproduction

Reproduction occurs from April to July when the water temperature ranges between 65 and 75 °F (18 and 24 °C). A gelatinous mass of eggs is deposited in a cavity created by hollow logs or undercut banks. The male guards the nest and incubates the eggs by continually fanning fresh water over them.[10]

Ecology

Predation by introduced white bullheads contributed to the extirpation of Sacramento perch (Archoplites interruptus) from Thurston Lake by 1970.[4] The white bullhead commercial fishery in California was closed in 1953 due to concern of overfishing,[6] and it is not currently considered to be an invasive species by the state.[11]

See also

References
  1. NatureServe (2013). "Ameiurus catus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T202673A2746463. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202673A2746463.en. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  2. "Ameiurus catus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  3. "Ameiurus catus (Linnaeus, 1758)". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  4. Fuller, Pam; Neilson, Matt (7 February 2014). "Ameiurus catus (Linnaeus, 1758)". Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database. Gainesville, Florida: U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  5. "Wildlife". www.lake-berryessa.com. Archived from the original on 2007-03-22.
  6. "Ameiurus catus". Nemesis. Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  7. "Field Guide: White Catfish". Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  8. Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2023). "Ictaluridae" in FishBase. February 2023 version.
  9. "White Catfish (Ameiurus catus) - Introduced". Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection. 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  10. "White Catfish - Ictalurus catus". www.hrla.com. Archived from the original on 2009-04-24.
  11. "California's Invaders". California Department of Fish and Wildlife. State of California. 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2023.


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