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Ictaluridae
The Ictaluridae, sometimes called ictalurids, are a family of catfish native to North America, where they are an important food source and sometimes fished for sport. The family includes about 51 species, some commonly known as bullheads, madtoms, channel catfish, and blue catfish. Taxonomy The family Ictaluridae is strongly supported as a monophyletic group. It is closely related to the Asian 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 is 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''. Distrib ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Catfish
Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) 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 three largest species alive, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia, the wels catfish of Eurasia, and the piraíba of South America, to detritivores (species that eat dead material on the bottom), and even to a tiny parasitic species commonly called the candiru, ''Vandellia cirrhosa''. Neither the armour-plated types nor the naked types have scales. Despite their name, not all catfish have prominent barbels or "whiskers". Members of the Siluriformes order are defined by features of the skull and swimbladder. Catfish are of considerable commercial importance; many of the larger species are farmed or fished for food. Many of the smaller species, particularly the genus ''Corydoras'', are important in the aquarium hobby. Many catfish are nocturnal, [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cavefish
Cavefish or cave fish is a generic term for fresh and brackish water fish adapted to life in caves and other underground habitats. Related terms are subterranean fish, troglomorphic fish, troglobitic fish, stygobitic fish, phreatic fish and hypogean fish.Romero, Aldemaro, editor (2001). ''The Biology of Hypogean Fishes.'' Developments in Environmental Biology of Fishes. Helfman, G.S. (2007). ''Fish Conservation: A Guide to Understanding and Restoring Global Aquatic Biodiversity and Fishery Resources'', pp. 41–42. Island Press. There are more than 200 scientifically described species of obligate cavefish found on all continents, except Antarctica. Although widespread as a group, many cavefish species have very small ranges and are seriously threatened.Fenolio, D.B.; Zhao, Y.; Niemiller, M.L.; and Stout, J. (2013). ''In-situ observations of seven enigmatic cave loaches and one cave barbel from Guangxi, China, with notes on conservation status.'' Speleobiology Notes 5: 19-33.Proud ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Madtom
Madtoms are freshwater catfishes (order Siluriformes) of the genus ''Noturus'' of the family Ictaluridae. It is the most species-rich family of catfish in North America, native to the central and eastern United States, and adjacent parts of Canada. Their fin spines contain a mild venom with a sting comparable to that of a honey bee. Nearly half the species of madtom catfishes were described in a single comprehensive revision of the group. Morphology is very conserved in this genus; most of the species look very similar and telling them apart with the usual meristic and morphometric characters used to identify species is difficult. The more conspicuously variable attributes of these secretive fishes are features of pigmentation, which also are more difficult to quantify and often vary according to substrate and water quality. These species have small to tiny or fragmented ranges, and aspects of pigmentation are important diagnostic characters of each. Over one-quarter of the recog ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tadpole Madtom
The tadpole madtom (''Noturus gyrinus'') is a species of fish in the family Ictaluridae. It is native to Canada and the United States. Description An adult tadpole madtom is typically , however they have recorded at a length of . The tadpole madtom has a dark brown back with a lighter brown color on their sides and a yellow or white stomach. The pelvic and pectoral fins of adults are heavily covered in melanophores responsible for pigmentation, and the dorsal and anal fins contain fewer melanophores. There are also bands of melanophores on both the upper and lower jaws creating a dark horizontal streak along the side. Chin barbels vary from white to being lightly covered with melanophores. The tadpole madtom possess dark nasal and maxillary barbels and white mandibular barbels. Their adipose fin is completely connected to their large and round caudal fin, and their pectoral fin is not serrated. They possess 6–7 gill rakers; 6–7 dorsal rays; 15–18 anal rays; 7–9 pectoral ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prietella
''Prietella'' is a small genus of North American freshwater catfishes found in Mexico and Texas, and restricted to underground waters. Taxonomy ''Prietella'' has been confirmed to be monophyletic and to be the sister group of the '' Noturus''. The karyotype of ''P. phreatophila'' is indistinguishable from one of the genus ''Noturus''; however, its diploid number of 50 chromosomes differs from the proposed ancestral ''Noturus'' karyotype of 54–56 chromosomes. However, this relationship has not been supported by preliminary mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Despite similarity to other cave-dwelling species of Ictaluridae, they are not closely related. Species There are currently two recognized species in this genus: * '' Prietella lundbergi'' S. J. Walsh & C. R. Gilbert, 1995 (Phantom blindcat) * ''Prietella phreatophila'' Carranza, 1954 (Mexican blindcat) Distribution and habitat The distribution of ''Prietella'' now is known to extend from the very northern part of t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pylodictis
The flathead catfish (''Pylodictis olivaris''), also called by several common names including mudcat or shovelhead cat, is a large species of North American freshwater catfish in the family Ictaluridae. It is the only species of the genus ''Pylodictis''. Ranging from the lower Great Lakes region to northern Mexico, it has been widely introduced and is an invasive species in some areas. The closest living relative of the flathead catfish is the much smaller widemouth blindcat, ''Satan eurystomus''. Common names The flathead catfish is also known as the yellow cat, mud cat, Johnnie cat, ''goujon'', ''appaluchion'', ''opelousas'', pied cat and Mississippi cat. In dialect of the Ozark mountains it may be referred to as a "granny cat." Description The flathead catfish is olive colored on its sides and dorsum, with a white to yellow underside. Individuals, particularly young specimens from clearer waters, may be strongly mottled with dark brown to black color. The eyes are small ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Widemouth Blindcat
The widemouth blindcat (''Satan eurystomus'') is a species of North American freshwater catfish endemic to Texas in the United States. It is the only species in the genus ''Satan''. Description It was first discovered inhabiting a well, and is adapted for a lightless underground environment. Like other cavefish, the widemouth blindcat lacks pigmentation and has no externally visible eyes. The eye remnants are extremely reduced in size with very little or no trace of a retina or lens; the optic tract is present, but always regresses before reaching the brain. The swim bladder in these fish is reduced, and the skull is mostly cartilaginous and not well-ossified, unlike the adults of most larger ictalurids. The lateral line is fragmentary and never reaches past the anterior part of the anal fin. This species also has a few paedomorphic traits (indicated by small size, kidney morphology, and weak ossification of the skeleton). This species grows to about TL. Taxonomy The widemouth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Satan (fish)
The widemouth blindcat (''Satan eurystomus'') is a species of North American freshwater catfish endemic to Texas in the United States. It is the only species in the genus ''Satan''. Description It was first discovered inhabiting a well, and is adapted for a lightless underground environment. Like other cavefish, the widemouth blindcat lacks pigmentation and has no externally visible eyes. The eye remnants are extremely reduced in size with very little or no trace of a retina or lens; the optic tract is present, but always regresses before reaching the brain. The swim bladder in these fish is reduced, and the skull is mostly cartilaginous and not well-ossified, unlike the adults of most larger ictalurids. The lateral line is fragmentary and never reaches past the anterior part of the anal fin. This species also has a few paedomorphic traits (indicated by small size, kidney morphology, and weak ossification of the skeleton). This species grows to about TL. Taxonomy The widemouth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trogloglanis
The toothless blindcat (''Trogloglanis pattersoni'') is a species of North American freshwater catfish endemic to Texas in the United States. Description The toothless blindcat has no pigmentation and no externally visible eyes. The eye remnants are extremely reduced in size, with very little or no trace of a retina or lens; the optic tract is present, but always regresses before reaching the brain. In juveniles, the eye is under the skin, but as the fish grows, the eyes are withdrawn even further. The head is as long as it is broad. The adipose fin is long and rounded at the end, and is connected to the caudal fin. The dorsal and pectoral fins have spines. The swim bladder in these fish is reduced. The stomach is reduced in size and surrounded by deposits of adipose tissue allowing for adequate energy to be stored. The skull is mostly cartilaginous and not well-ossified, unlike the adults of most larger ictalurids. The lateral line is fragmented and reaches to between the anterio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ameiurus
''Ameiurus'' is a genus of catfishes in the family Ictaluridae. It contains the three common types of bullhead catfish found in waters of the United States, the black bullhead (''Ameiurus melas''), the brown bullhead (''Ameiurus nebulosus''), and the yellow bullhead (''Ameiurus natalis''), as well as other species, such as the white catfish (''Ameiurus catus'' or ''Ictalurus catus''), which are not typically called "bullheads". The species known as bullheads can be distinguished from channel catfish and blue catfish by their squared tailfins, rather than forked. Taxonomy and fossil record ''Ameiurus'' is recognized as monophyletic, meaning it forms a natural group. It is mostly closely related to the clade formed by the genera '' Noturus'', ''Prietella'', ''Satan'', and ''Pylodictis''. There is a sister group relationship between the species ''A. melas'' and ''A. nebulosus''. Species Extant Species There are currently seven recognized species in this genus: * ''Ameiurus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brown Bullhead
The brown bullhead (''Ameiurus nebulosus'') is a fish of the family Ictaluridae that is widely distributed in North America. It is a species of bullhead catfish and is similar to the black bullhead (''Ameiurus melas'') and yellow bullhead (''Ameiurus natalis''). It was originally described as ''Pimelodus nebulosus'' by Charles Alexandre Lesueur in 1819, and is also referred to as ''Ictalurus nebulosus''. The brown bullhead is also widely known as the "mud pout", "horned pout", "hornpout", or simply "mud cat", a name also used with the other bullhead species. The brown bullhead is important as a clan symbol of the Ojibwe people. In their tradition, the bullhead or is one of six beings that came out of the sea to form the original clans. Appearance The brown bullhead grows to be approximately in length and is a darker brown-green dorsally, growing lighter green and yellow towards the ventral surface. The belly is off-white or cream, and the fish has no scales. Additionally, th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cranoglanididae
''Cranoglanis'' is the only genus of armorhead catfishes. Taxonomy ''Cranoglanis bouderius'' was first described as ''Bagrus bouderius'' in 1846 by John Richardson based on a Chinese watercolor painting. Wilhelm Peters later described ''Cranoglanis'' along with a new species, ''Cranoglanis sinensis''. Otto Koller (1926) described a new species, ''Pseudotropichthys multiradiatus''. George Myers (1931) synonymized ''Pseudotropichthys'' with ''Cranoglanis'', as well as described the family Cranoglanididae. Jayaram (1955) synonymized ''C. multiradiatus'' and ''C. sinensis'' under ''C. bouderius''. More recently, ''C. bouderius'' and ''C. multiradiatus'' have been treated as separate species. ''C. henrici'', described by Léon Vaillant in 1893, is often overlooked, but is a valid species. In 2005, ''Cranoglanis'' had been considered a monotypic genus by some, with ''C. bouderius'' as the only valid species. The Cranoglanididae are closely related to the North American family Ictalur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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