Ictaluridae
Encyclopedia
The Ictaluridae, sometimes called Ictalurids, are a family of catfish
native to North America
, where they are important food fish and sometimes as a sport fish. They include fish commonly known as bullhead
s, madtom
s, channel catfish
, and blue catfish
.
group. Ictaluridae is closely related to the Asia
n family Cranoglanididae. These two families are sister taxa
in the superfamily Ictaluroidea.
Though the family includes three genera of blind, subterranean, and troglobitic
catfishes, Trogloglanis, Satan
, and Prietella
, none of these three genera are closely related. Instead, Satan is closely related to Pylodictis, Prietella to Noturus, and Trogloglanis possibly to Ictalurus, although it may not be closely related to any of the other ictalurids. Ameiurus is sister to a clade
formed by Satan, Pylodictis, Noturus, and Prietella.
to Guatemala
. Both bullheads and madtoms tend to be found in small streams and ponds, but are also known in larger bodies of water. Channel catfish
, bullheads and madtoms are "bottom feeders" with widely varied diets that include scavenging.
(commonly referred to as "whiskers" as applied to catfish). The skin has no scales. The dorsal
and pectoral fins usually possess a spine. The dorsal fin usually has six soft rays. The palate
is toothless except in the fossil genus Astephus. The genera Trogoglanis, Satan
, and Prietella
include four species of blind catfishes. They have the ability to inflict painful stings with venomous spines embedded in their fins.
One of the largest species is the blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, specimens of which have been found to weigh over 50 kilograms (110.2 lb). The maximum length is 160 centimetres (5.2 ft) in the blue catfish and the flathead catfish. The bullheads, on the other hand, are small catfish which at maturity often weigh less than half a kilogram (1 lb), while the madtoms (genus Noturus) are in general much smaller.
folklore which exceeds its place as a mere food fish. The image of cane pole fishing
for catfish at a proverbial lazy stream has become a stand-by of southern Americana
. Even today the catfish fishing culture features use of arcane "stink baits" and elaborate night-fishing techniques, giving catfish fishing a uniqueness in approach and emphasis as contrasted with the technology-oriented realms of fishing such as bass fishing
.
In some areas, the bullhead is seen as a desirable fishing quarry, for its fighting qualities exceed its size. In other areas, it is seen as a nuisance fish due to its efficient bait-stealing qualities.
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
native to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, where they are important food fish and sometimes as a sport fish. They include fish commonly known as bullhead
Bullhead
-Fishes:* Certain sculpins, including:** European bullhead, Cottus gobio** Siberian bullhead, Cottus poecilopus** Norway bullhead, Taurulus Liljeborgi* Catfish of the genus Ameiurus, including:** Black bullhead, Ameiurus melas...
s, madtom
Madtom
Madtoms or stonecats are catfishes of the genus Noturus of the family Ictaluridae. It is the most speciose group of catfish in North America....
s, channel catfish
Channel catfish
Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States they are the most fished catfish species with approximately 8...
, and blue catfish
Blue catfish
The blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, is one of the largest species of North American catfish. Blue catfish are distributed primarily in the Mississippi River drainage including the Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Arkansas rivers...
.
Taxonomy
Ictaluridae is strongly supported as a monophyleticMonophyly
In common cladistic usage, a monophyletic group is a taxon which forms a clade, meaning that it contains all the descendants of the possibly hypothetical closest common ancestor of the members of the group. The term is synonymous with the uncommon term holophyly...
group. Ictaluridae is closely related to the Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n family Cranoglanididae. These two families are sister taxa
Cladistics
Cladistics is a method of classifying species of organisms into groups called clades, which consist of an ancestor organism and all its descendants . For example, birds, dinosaurs, crocodiles, and all descendants of their most recent common ancestor form a clade...
in the superfamily Ictaluroidea.
Though the family includes three genera of blind, subterranean, and troglobitic
Troglobite
Troglobites are small cave-dwelling animals that have adapted to their dark surroundings. Troglobite species include spiders, insects, fish and others. They live permanently underground and cannot survive outside the cave environment. Troglobite adaptations and characteristics include a heightened...
catfishes, Trogloglanis, Satan
Widemouth Blindcat
For other uses, see Satan .The widemouth blindcat is a species of catfish of the family Ictaluridae, and the only representative of the genus Satan....
, and Prietella
Prietella
Prietella is a small genus of catfishes of the family Ictaluridae. It includes two species, the phantom blindcat, P. lundbergi, and the Mexican blindcat, P. phreatophila.-Taxonomy:...
, none of these three genera are closely related. Instead, Satan is closely related to Pylodictis, Prietella to Noturus, and Trogloglanis possibly to Ictalurus, although it may not be closely related to any of the other ictalurids. Ameiurus is sister to a clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
formed by Satan, Pylodictis, Noturus, and Prietella.
Distribution and habitat
Ictalurids originate from North America from southern CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
. Both bullheads and madtoms tend to be found in small streams and ponds, but are also known in larger bodies of water. Channel catfish
Channel catfish
Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States they are the most fished catfish species with approximately 8...
, bullheads and madtoms are "bottom feeders" with widely varied diets that include scavenging.
Description
Ictalurid species have four pairs of barbelsBarbel (anatomy)
A barbel on a fish is a slender, whiskerlike tactile organ near the mouth. Fish that have barbels include the catfish, the carp, the goatfish, sturgeon, the zebrafish and some species of shark...
(commonly referred to as "whiskers" as applied to catfish). The skin has no scales. The dorsal
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
and pectoral fins usually possess a spine. The dorsal fin usually has six soft rays. The palate
Palate
The palate is the roof of the mouth in humans and other mammals. It separates the oral cavity from the nasal cavity. A similar structure is found in crocodilians, but, in most other tetrapods, the oral and nasal cavities are not truly separate. The palate is divided into two parts, the anterior...
is toothless except in the fossil genus Astephus. The genera Trogoglanis, Satan
Widemouth Blindcat
For other uses, see Satan .The widemouth blindcat is a species of catfish of the family Ictaluridae, and the only representative of the genus Satan....
, and Prietella
Prietella
Prietella is a small genus of catfishes of the family Ictaluridae. It includes two species, the phantom blindcat, P. lundbergi, and the Mexican blindcat, P. phreatophila.-Taxonomy:...
include four species of blind catfishes. They have the ability to inflict painful stings with venomous spines embedded in their fins.
One of the largest species is the blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, specimens of which have been found to weigh over 50 kilograms (110.2 lb). The maximum length is 160 centimetres (5.2 ft) in the blue catfish and the flathead catfish. The bullheads, on the other hand, are small catfish which at maturity often weigh less than half a kilogram (1 lb), while the madtoms (genus Noturus) are in general much smaller.
Relationship to humans
The North American catfish has acquired an association with American SouthernSouthern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
folklore which exceeds its place as a mere food fish. The image of cane pole fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
for catfish at a proverbial lazy stream has become a stand-by of southern Americana
Americana
Americana refers to artifacts, or a collection of artifacts, related to the history, geography, folklore and cultural heritage of the United States. Many kinds of material fall within the definition of Americana: paintings, prints and drawings; license plates or entire vehicles, household objects,...
. Even today the catfish fishing culture features use of arcane "stink baits" and elaborate night-fishing techniques, giving catfish fishing a uniqueness in approach and emphasis as contrasted with the technology-oriented realms of fishing such as bass fishing
Bass fishing
Bass fishing is the activity of angling for the North American gamefish known colloquially as the black bass. There are numerous black bass species considered as gamefish in North America, including largemouth bass , smallmouth bass , Spotted bass or Kentucky bass , Guadalupe bass Bass fishing is...
.
In some areas, the bullhead is seen as a desirable fishing quarry, for its fighting qualities exceed its size. In other areas, it is seen as a nuisance fish due to its efficient bait-stealing qualities.