Brown bullhead
Brown bullhead | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Siluriformes |
Family: | Ictaluridae |
Genus: | Ameiurus |
Species: | A. nebulosus
|
Binomial name | |
Ameiurus nebulosus (Lesueur, 1819)
| |
Synonyms[2] | |
|
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
Appearance
The brown bullhead grows to be approximately 21 inches (53 cm) in length
The brown bullhead's mouth is terminal
Distribution
The native range of the brown bullhead is in the Atlantic and Gulf Slope
Habitat
The brown bullhead thrives in a variety of habitats, including lakes, ponds, and slow-moving streams with low oxygen or muddy conditions. In many areas of the United States, brown bullheads are opportunistic bottom feeders. The species has few natural predators and is not popular with anglers in most areas (albeit very popular in some such as the Oneida Lake area of Upstate New York, where it is featured each spring by local restaurants), so it has thrived. Catfish are found in a variety of habitats, from lakes or murky ponds to drainage ditches. They are scarce during the day, but come out at night to feed, searching the bottom of a lake or river for food.[13] They eat insects, leeches, snails, fish, clams, and many plants. They are also known to eat corn, which can be used as bait. Similarly to other catfish, they spawn only after the temperature of the water has reached 80 °F (27 °C) in June and July. However, cooler temperatures are required before brown bullheads will spawn in the northern US.
Fishing
This catfish is easily caught with natural bait such as worms and chicken livers. They have a scrappy but not unusually strong fight. Anglers often catch them by fishing off the bottom. When caught in very clear water when the flesh is firm and reddish to pinkish, the hornpout is quite edible and delicious.[original research?] Nevertheless, its genial cousins such as the channel catfish and the blue catfish are better known for their use as food. In most areas, they will not exceed two pounds in weight, with a current International Game Fish Association world record of 7.375 pounds (3.345 kg).[15]
Life cycle and reproduction
Brown bullheads typically live between six and eight years,[8] but have been recorded as old as fifteen in captivity.[citation needed] The species spawns between April and June.[16] For the duration of each breeding season, females will be monogamous.[8] There are no consistent behaviors of mate attraction. The females lay eggs in dark locations such as under rocks and inside logs,[16] where they are externally fertilized by the male.[8] The fish face opposite one another during the fertilization process. Nests are primarily created by females, but the eggs are protected by both sexes. An egg cluster in a nest may contain between 50 and 10,000 eggs.[8] The eggs usually take six days to hatch, but may take up to 13 days. Both parents generally care for their offspring for an additional five days after the eggs hatch.[6] The young are kept in a school by a parent for up to one month. They will remain in schools as juveniles.[8]
Brown bullheads, both male and female, will reach sexual maturity around age three.[8] Brown bullheads have occasionally been recorded eating their own eggs.[17]
As an invasive species
The fish has been introduced into many European countries, such as Poland, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Romania, Estonia, Hungary, Serbia, and Croatia. Brown bullheads have also been introduced to western North America, Chile, Puerto Rico and New Zealand.[18]
Countries who have reported adverse effects from the introduction of the brown bullhead species include Iran and Turkey.[17]
Diet
Brown bullheads are omnivorous benthic bottom feeders. Their diet consists of algae, leeches, worms, mollusks, crustaceans, insects, crayfish, other smaller fish species and fish eggs.[8][19] Brown bullheads are typically nocturnal feeders, but have been reported to feed diurnally. Bullheads have poor eyesight and are heavily reliant on their sensitive barbels to locate their food.[8] The fish are omnivorous and will reportedly eat almost anything that fits in their mouth.[14]
Predation
Brown bullheads are the most susceptible to predators in their developmental stages, primarily as eggs. They are prey to the following species:
Conservation
Brown bullheads hold no special status on the
In Missouri, the brown bullhead is listed as a Species of Conservation Concern and is threatened by habitat destruction, particularly the drainage of swamps in the Missouri Bootheel for conversion into farmland.[6]
See also
- Bullhead catfish(general)
- Rough fish
References
- . Retrieved November 12, 2021.
- ^ Fricke, R.; Eschmeyer, W.N.; Van der Laan, R., eds. (February 7, 2023). "Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Genera, Species, References". Retrieved February 17, 2023 – via California Academy of Sciences.
- ^ "Ojibwe clan systems: A cultural connection to the natural world". Archived from the original on November 25, 2005. Retrieved September 15, 2005.
- ^ Page, L.; Burr, B. (1990). Peterson field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
- ^ a b c d e f "Brown Bullhead". University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute. 2013. Archived from the original on April 21, 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Brown Bullhead". Missouri Department of Conservation. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- ^ "Brown Bullhead". Florida Museum. University of Florida. October 23, 2017. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Guth, Rachael (2011). Sterling, Rachelle; Leonard, Jill; Dewey, Tanya (eds.). "Brown catfish Ameiurus nebulosus". BioKIDS. Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- ^ "Brown Bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus". Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 2017. Archived from the original on February 20, 2018.
- ^ "Flathead Catfish". Florida Museum. University of Florida. October 23, 2017. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- S2CID 85713384.
- ^ "Ameiurus nebulosus". USGS=April 20, 2017. May 29, 2012.
- ^ "Brown Bullhead Catfish." Aliens Among Us. N.p., n.d. Web. October 27, 2014. <http://alienspecies.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/eng/species/brown-bullhead-catfish Archived April 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine>.
- ^ a b c d "Species Profile- Bullheads". Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. May 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
- ^ "IGFA All-Tackle World Records: Brown Bullhead". International Game Fish Association. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
- ^ a b "Brown Bullhead". Chesapeake Bay Program. 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- ^ a b "Ameirus nebulosus: Brown Bullhead". fishbase.org. 1998. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
- ^ "Ictalurus nebulosus". ISSG. April 11, 2006. Retrieved July 17, 2010.
- ^ "Brown Bullhead". Chesapeake Bay Program. 2012. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
External links
- Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2007). "Ameiurus nebulosus" in FishBase. February 2007 version.
- Ameiurus nebulosus, German language; originally published in: Datz-Aquarienpraxis 11/2004, S. 10f.