Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
Madtoms are freshwater catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the genus Noturus of the family Ictaluridae. It is the most species-rich genus of catfish in North America, [1] native to the central and eastern United States, and adjacent parts of Canada. [2] Their fin spines contain a mild venom with a sting comparable to that of a honey bee. [1]
Juvenile mountain madtoms are 20–30mm in length usually. [6] Adult mountain madtoms range from 75–127 mm in length and the life span averages 4–5 years. [5] It is uncertain what age they reach sexual maturity due to the secrecy of the species. [10] One study located a nest and eggs were collected.
The margined madtom is yellow to dark gray on the upper side of the body, and a pale shade on the underside. It is slimmer than other members of the family Ictaluridae. It has a square tail and lacks the rays of other tadpole madtoms. The dorsal fin and anal fins are rounded, the chin barbels are pale, and all the other barbels are dark.
Ictaluridae includes bullheads, madtoms, channel catfish, and blue catfish. Noturus exilis is found in the central portion of the Mississippi River basin, but is most abundant in Ozarkian streams. [2] Slender madtoms occur west of the Mississippi River in the Ozarks of Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri north to southern Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Like many other madtoms, the checkered madtom has a stout body. The body is yellow and has four obvious saddle-like stripes of black on top. The bottom is white to yellow. The dorsal fin on the back has a black blotch on the top third of the fin. The caudal (tail) fin has a black bar at its base and at the end.
However, on August 1, 1980 six Ouachita madtoms were collected in a stream only 3.9 feet (1.2 m) across. The six specimens were obviously young-of-the-year, and their presence raised speculations that Ouachita madtoms seek smaller streams during summer months to spawn.
Brindled madtoms are approximately 10.1 to 12.6 centimeters (4.0 to 5.0 in) long. The brindled madtom, like other Noturus species, has a caudally-fused adipose fin which extends from the caudal fin and runs nearly to the dorsal fin. The caudal fin spreads around the caudal peduncle, terminating just prior to the anal fin.
The freckled madtom (Noturus nocturnus) a species of freshwater madtom found in the eastern United States.The freckled madtom is a benthic feeder mostly of invertebrates and usually inhabits waters that are medium to large in size, living mostly in riffle areas that have mostly clear waters and rocky bottoms.