| Brindled madtom | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Ictaluridae |
| Genus: | Noturus |
| Species: | N. miurus |
| Binomial name | |
| Noturus miurus D. S. Jordan, 1877 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The brindled madtom (Noturus miurus) is a small catfish of the family Ictaluridae that is native to the eastern United States.
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 species has smooth skin without scales and possesses four pairs of barbels along the premaxilla and dentary. The brindled madtom is laterally compressed along the caudal peduncle and has a dorsally compressed anterior from the pelvic fins to the jaw. The brindled madtom is light brown, with dark dorsal splotches along the tip and two conspicuous saddle marks just behind the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin has a dark, spotted blotch on the tip and is located between the pectoral and pelvic fins.
The habitat range is in the eastern United States, west of the Appalachian/Blue Ridge Mountains and from the lower Great Lakes drainage, southwest to Louisiana. River systems included are the Cache (Illinois), Huron, Mississippi and Ohio river basins, Pearl River, Wabash River, and Lake Pontchartrain drainage into the Gulf of Mexico. [2] This species is endangered in Missouri, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.
According to a 1982 study by Burr, the quantitative diet of the brindled madtom was determined via dissection of stomach contents which "[…] contained mostly dipteran larvae and pupae, ephemeropteran naiads, trichopteran larvae and adult isopods, […], chironomids and simuliids were most frequently eaten. Ephemeropteran larvae, including the genera Potamanthus and Stenonema, were second in frequency, and trichopteran larvae, primarily the genus Chematopsyche, were third in frequency. Among crustacea, Lirceus and a variety of copepods were next in importance in the diet. Worms, other microcrustaceans, other aquatic insects and fish and plant material made only small contributions to the total diet,". [2] Predation upon adult brindled madtoms is primarily from upper trophic level aquatic predators such as the longnose gar. Brindled madtom egg clutches are a viable food source for multiple opportunistic species including crustaceans, insects, and other fishes. Although most other Noturus species occur primarily in riffles, the brindled madtom occurs primarily in moderately silted pools with heavy texture and mild currents. [3] The brindled madtom thrives in clean, benthic regions of pools in swift streams and rivers that have moderate siltation over a cobble or heavily textured bottom. [4] The species thrives in water with consistent temperatures around 25 to 27 °C (77 to 81 °F). [3] Temperatures above 30 °C (86 °F) are not well tolerated, and mass mortalities observed at temperatures above 33 °C (91 °F). [5]
It takes one year for females and two years for males to mature sexually and nesting/reproduction extends from May to July, with regional variance according to water temperature. [2] When reproduction begins, the mating pair guards their clutch of 50-100 eggs, which is usually deposited in a protective shelter with a very small opening such as under rocks or in bottles/cans that litter the waterways; and these shelters are layered with mud or silt by the parents. [2] The brindled madtom can produce multiple clutches per year and the average lifespan of the species is about 3 years, with most specimens being found in the 2 year old range. [2] The selective nature of this species as it relates to reproduction habitat puts the reproductive fitness of the species as a whole, in jeopardy. Since this species prefers a substrate which has equal stone, cobble, sediment and texture which provides shelter and preferred nesting opportunities, [2] even the slightest disturbance can drastically alter and distort the balance needed for fitness. The decrease in preferred habitat has contributed to the decline of various species of madtoms, leading to an inter-species breeding, specifically between the brindled madtom and the tadpole madtom, [6] which may lead to further chromosomal evolution within this species as identified by LeGrand's study. [7]
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.
The Ouachita madtom is a catfish of the family Ictaluridae.The first specimens of the species were collected in 1952 it was not until 1969 that they were recognised as a species. The Ouachita madtom is similar to the tadpole madtom except the Ouachita madtom has one internasal pore while the tadpole madtom has two, and 16 to 18 anal rays while the tadpole madtom has only 14 to 16. It is also similar to the slender madtom but differing in the sack of serrae on the pectoral spine, having more caudal rays, and usually eight pectoral rays while the slender madtom has 9. The maximum length of an Ouachita madtom is about 2.7 inches.
Madtoms are freshwater catfishes 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.
The yellowfin madtom is a species of fish in the family Ictaluridae endemic to the southeastern United States. Historically, the yellowfin madtom was widespread throughout the upper Tennessee River drainage, but was thought to be extinct by the time it was formally described.
The Carolina madtom is a species of fish in the family Ictaluridae. It is endemic to North Carolina. It is a small catfish, reaching a maximum length of nearly five inches. Described in the late-1800s by ichthyologists Jordan and Meek, this fish is the only madtom that is endemic to North Carolina, as indicated by its common name.
The frecklebelly madtom is a species of fish in the family Ictaluridae endemic to the United States. Madtoms are in the genus Noturus, which is a group of catfish prevalent in North America.
The pygmy madtom is a species of fish in the family Ictaluridae endemic to the United States, in only two known regions of Tennessee. Madtoms are the smallest members of the catfish family. Members of the genus Noturus can be distinguished by their small size, unusually long adipose fin, and rounded caudal fin. Most specimens have been collected over shallow, fine gravel shoals with moderate to swift flow, usually near the stream bank.
The Caddo madtom is a species of fish in the family Ictaluridae endemic to the United States. N. taylori was named in honor of William Ralph Taylor, U.S. National Museum, in recognition of his contributions to the knowledge of catfishes. They average 2 to 4 in long and weigh no more than few ounces. N. taylori species have small to tiny or fragmented ranges, but are mostly found in the Caddo, Ouachita, and Little Missouri Rivers in southwestern Arkansas. Ecological studies indicate that dam and bridge construction poses barriers to dispersal and migration of fish in the Ouachita Highlands. IUCNredlist.org states that better information is needed on life history, reproductive biology, and ecology of the Caddo madtom. This species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Redlist. Limited range makes this species vulnerable to habitat destruction/degradation from impoundment, pollution, and other factors. Robison and Buchanan (1988) stated, "this rare species should be considered threatened due to loss of habitat". Warren et al. (2000) categorized the species as "threatened".
Noturus flavus, the stonecat, is a North American freshwater catfish of the family Ictaluridae. The common name is due to its habit of hiding near or under stones in fast-moving water.
The tadpole madtom is a species of fish in the family Ictaluridae. It is native to Canada and the United States.
The smoky madtom is a species of catfish. Little information exists about the smoky madtom, along with other members of the Noturus species, due to the high turbidity in which they spawn, preventing observation, as well as their nocturnal behaviors.
The elegant madtom is a fish native to Tennessee, Alabama, and Kentucky, and is one of twenty-nine species of madtom. It prefers to live in small rivers and gravel-bottomed creeks. The average lifespan of the elegant madtom is two years.
The mountain madtom is a North American species of temperate freshwater fish belonging to the Noturus genus of the family Ictaluridae. The species was first described to the United States National Museum by Professors Jordan and Gilbert in the Big Pigeon River. The mountain madtom has a body that is characterized as being robust, and by the toxic sting that is associated with their pectoral and dorsal spines. Currently, the Pigeon River Recovery Project is working to try to restore the mountain madtom population that was lost in fisheries. Aside from the Pigeon River Recovery Project, there is little management being applied to this species, and it is currently listed on the threatened species list for the state of Tennessee.
Noturus exilis, also called the slender madtom, is a species of the catfish family Ictaluridae. 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. Slender madtoms occur west of the Mississippi River in the Ozarks of Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri north to southern Wisconsin and Minnesota. It also occurs east of the Mississippi River in the uplands of Alabama, Tennessee, and Kentucky in the Tennessee, Cumberland, and Green drainages. Nelson first described Noturus exilis in 1876. The slender madtom is moderately large with a terminal to sub terminal mouth, flat head, small eyes, and black marginal bands on the median fins. Most slender madtoms are less than 90 millimetres (3.5 in). Noturus flavus and Noturus nocturnus are rather similar in shape and coloration to Norturus exilis. Slender madtoms inhabit small to medium-sized streams, in riffle and flowing pool habitats with coarse gravel to slab rock substrates. The presence of a shelter object, such as a large rock, seems to be important in habitat selection.
Noturus fasciatus is a rare freshwater fish native to the U.S. state of Tennessee. It was first described as a species separate from Noturus crypticus in 2005. It is restricted to the Duck River system and is also found in two minor tributaries on the lower section of the Tennessee River. This species dwells in small to medium-sized streams where they can be found under gravel, rubble, and slab rock. They feed mostly on insects such as: stone, cattus and mayfly larvae.
The piebald madtom is a species of madtom catfish that is found in seven river systems in the Tennessee and Mississippi coastal tributaries. The most common systems N. gladiator is found in are, the Hatchie River, Obion River, and Wolf River. This species is very susceptible to environmental changes including flow regimes, siltation in nesting sites, and poor environmental quality. The Noturus catfish reproduces from February to September and females reach sexual maturity in only one year. Current management strategies for this recently discovered species haven't been completely developed yet, but could be comparative to the management of other madtom species. Siltation in the southern portions of the rivers, inhabited by Noturus gladiator that comes from the northern aspects of the waterways is causing stress on the reproductive success due to nest suffocation. There are records as close as twenty years ago showing the species inhabiting multiple other rivers around the areas it currently inhabits. This could be a sign that the species is in a decline. There should be population surveys done on the existing habitat and water quality surveys done in the inhabited areas as well as the uninhabited neighboring areas to see what the limiting pollutant might be in the water causing habitats to shrink. The area that this species inhabits needs to be managed in a way that could see a resurgence in gladiators numbers.
The speckled madtom is a small freshwater fish found in the southeastern United States that belongs to the genus Noturus of the family Ictaluridae.
The black madtom is a nocturnal, freshwater, diminutive catfish found in watersheds in Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, and is one of 29 species of madtom.
The Checkered Madtom is, a small freshwater catfish found in the United States, in the rivers of Arkansas and Missouri. It is one of 29 species of madtom.
The Ozark madtom is a freshwater fish endemic to the United States. It is one of 29 species of madtom.
