| Northern madtom | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Siluriformes |
| Family: | Ictaluridae |
| Genus: | Noturus |
| Species: | N. stigmosus |
| Binomial name | |
| Noturus stigmosus W. R. Taylor, 1969 | |
The northern madtom (Noturus stigmosus) is a freshwater fish.
N. stigmosus can be found in the Ohio River valley stretching into distinct locations in Canada, where it is considered endangered. It is a fairly rare species with little data available because such small numbers are observed. [2] The northern madtom prefers habitats with relatively swift currents along with sand, silt, or rocky substrates. The species begins spawning around 23 °C, which is sometime in early summer throughout its range. It is a cavity nester and builds its nests under large rocks and logs. [3] Presently, not much is known about the ecology or life history of this species because it is found in such small numbers throughout its range.
The species can survive in waters with some turbidity, but not in waters with a high amount of sediment pollution. One of the leading management actions aiding in the successful reproduction of this species is keeping the waters void of sediment pollution and habitat alterations. [4]
The northern madtom is also found along the Allegheny River system running from Canada through the Northeastern United States to Tennessee. However, over much of its range, the species is found in only a few streams/creeks in each state. [5] In Canada, the species is confined to only four distinct locations: St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, Thames River (Ontario), and Detroit River. [4] The population status of these four locations has been classified as poor by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. [4]
In Pennsylvania, the northern madtom is only found in one creek on the far western edge of the state. Because of this restricted distribution across most of its range, the species has been labeled as critically imperiled. [5] In Tennessee, the species is more common and is classified as vulnerable, instead. However, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency places the northern madtom on the "Wildlife in Need of Management Proclamation" list. The sporadic distribution of the species across its range suggests that the northern madtom probably has very specific habitat requirements, so is vulnerable to habitat alterations.
The diet of the northern madtom consists of small insects and invertebrates. However, because the species is found in such small numbers, no real evidence supports the specifics of their diet. Little is known as to the quality or quantity of what the northern madtom eats.
The northern madtom is found in different habitats throughout its range. In the northern extent of its distribution, the species is found more in larger rivers and even in a few lentic environments such as Lake St. Clair. [4] However, in the lower most stretches of its range, such as in Tennessee, the species is generally more common in small creeks and streams with a somewhat moderate current. Across all regions, the species tends to prefer habitat with sand, gravel, or rock substrates. [6] The species is somewhat tolerant of turbidity, but avoids areas of high siltation.
The northern madtom shares its habitat with several similar species ranging from the very similar mountain madtom to some invasive species, which create competition for both food and resources. However, not much is known about the specifics of the effect of this competition on the northern madtoms because they are found in such small numbers.
Both sexes of N. stigmosus come into reproductive condition in early summer. However, spawning does not take place until the water temperature reaches 23 °C. [4] The species is thought to produce only one clutch per year with an average clutch size of 32 to 160 eggs. The wide range of clutch size can possibly be caused by females laying eggs in multiple nests. [4] The northern madtom is a cavity-nesting species; they have been found in depressions under large rocks, logs, and inside crayfish burrows. Their nests have also been found inside anthropogenic debris such as bottles, cans, and boxes. [4]
Males guard the eggs, and when the eggs hatch, the adult males continue to guard them for around one month. In Canada, the juveniles are found mainly in areas with a water temperature between 19.5 and 28 °C, a pH of 8.03 to 8.47, a dissolved oxygen content between 6.0 and 10.05, a depth between 0.06 and 0.90 meters, and a near bottom velocity between 0 and 0.55 meters per second. [4] Although this sounds like very specific data, the many species fall into this data set, and little is known about the specifics of the northern madtom's life history.
Noturus stigmosus is listed as "vulnerable" on the federal level. However, throughout the majority of its distribution, especially in the northern region, many states have it classified as "critically imperiled". The reason for this is the sporadic distribution and small numbers associated with the species. These characteristics also show that the northern madtom probably has very specific habitat parameters is probably very sensitive to habitat alterations.
One of the main causes for the decline of the northern madtom is loss of suitable habitat. [3] Several factors contribute to this, ranging from the changing of the landscape for anthropogenic purposes to the building of small dams in the creeks where the species occurs. Increases in the amount of stream siltation are also believed to have negative impacts on the species.
Because so little information is available regarding the habitat requirements and life history strategies of N. stigmosus, little to no management is occurring that specifically targets the species. The current management practices consist of attempting to conserve the species natural habitat through maintaining stream flow, avoiding bank erosion and soil deposition, and altering stream bank habitat. [6] Individual counts are conducted via seining and trapping. However, because the species is so rare in the northern portion of its range, not much is learned from these collections.
The Sydenham River is a river in Chatham-Kent, Lambton County and Middlesex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, flowing southwest from its source west of London, Ontario and emptying into Lake Saint Clair. The length of the river is 165 kilometres (103 mi) and it drains a watershed of approximately 2,700 square kilometres (1,000 sq mi). The river flows through the towns of Strathroy and Wallaceburg. It was named after Lord Sydenham, governor of Canada from 1839 to 1841.
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".
The channel darter is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is native to North America where it typically occurs in the sandy or gravelly shallows of lakes and in small and medium-sized rivers in riffles over sand, gravel or rock bottoms. It is a small fish ranging from 34 to 72 mm in length, olive brown with darker speckles and sometimes with a dark spot below the eye and dark blotches along the flank. It feeds mostly on insect larvae and other small invertebrates and breeds in small streams. This species is listed as threatened by the Canadian Species at Risk Act (SARA) but overall it has a wide range and numerous sub-populations and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it as a "least concern species".
The tadpole madtom is a species of fish in the family Ictaluridae. It is native to Canada and the United States.
The redtail chub is a freshwater fish found in the U.S. states of Tennessee and Kentucky.
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 chucky madtom is a critically endangered freshwater fish endemic to the U.S. state of Tennessee.
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.
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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 brindled madtom is a small catfish of the family Ictaluridae that is native to the eastern United States.
The freckled madtom a species of freshwater madtom (catfish) 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. Its spawning season occurs from spring to early summer in riffle areas, and sexual maturation occurs after two years.
