The yellow bullhead is a medium-sized member of the catfish family. It is typically yellow-olive to slate black on the back and may appear mottled depending on its habitat. The sides are lighter and more yellowish, while the underside of the head and body are bright yellow, yellow white, or bright white. The rear edge of its caudal fin is rounded. The anal fin has anywhere between 24 and 27 constituent rays, more than that of other bullheads. The yellow bullhead can be easily distinguished from the brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus) and black bullhead (A. melas) by the group of white barbels or "whiskers" under its chin. Yellow bullheads are medium-sized bullheads that rarely grow larger than 2 lb (0.91 kg), but can reach up to 6.375 lb (2.892 kg).[3] Yellow bullheads may grow to a maximum total length (TL) of 60 centimetres (24 in), though they are more commonly 22.5 centimetres (8.9 in) TL,[4] and can live up to 12 years.[5]
DietEdit
The yellow bullhead is a voracious scavenger that will almost eat anything. It locates prey by brushing the stream bottom with its barbels. Taste buds on the barbels tell the yellow bullhead whether or not contact is made with edible prey. They typically feed at night on a variety of plant and animal material, both live and dead, most commonly consisting of worms,[6] insects, snails, minnows, clams, crayfish, other small aquatic organisms, plant matter, and decaying animal matter. Compared to black and brown bullheads, yellow bullheads consume more aquatic vegetation.[6]
HabitatEdit
Yellow bullhead are bottom dwellers, living in areas with muck, rock, sand, or clay substrates. Its habitat includes river pools, backwaters, and sluggish current over soft or mildly rocky substrate in creeks, small to larger rivers, and shallow portions of lakes and ponds. Their habitat can vary from a slow current with poorly oxygenated, highly silted, and highly polluted[citation needed] water to a more swift current with clean and clear water that has aquatic vegetation. Fishermen often find them in sluggish creeks and rivers with a gravel bottom.
Reproduction and life cycleEdit
Bullheads have a monogamous relationship with spawning beginning in mid-May or early-June, with both sexes participating in nest-building. Bullheads usually use a natural cavity or make saucer-shaped depressions near submerged cover, such as tree roots or sunken logs. The female will lay anywhere from 300 to 700 eggs at a time in a gelatinous mass, with up to 4300 eggs deposited into the nest in total.[6] After fertilization the male protects and continually fans the nest of eggs. The eggs hatch in 5 to 7 days on average.[6] Young fry are herded into tight schools by the male and are protected by both parents until they are approximately two inches long. They grow to about three inches by one year of age. Sexual maturity is achieved after two to three years, by which time the fish have reached 140 millimetres (5.5 in) in length.[6]
DistributionEdit
Yellow bullhead have a wide range across the central and eastern US from the Rio Grande River to North Dakota and south-eastern Canada, and east through the Great Lakes region to the East Coast.[6][7] They have also been introduced to the West[8] and can be caught as far up as northern Washington state.
AnglingEdit
Yellow bullheads are considered a minor game fish, and their meat is considered sweet and has a good flavor, but the meat can become soft in summer. They are not as sought after as other catfish. They can be caught on natural baits such as worms, crickets or chicken liver fished on the bottom at night.[8]
EtymologyEdit
Named both Ictalurus natalis and Ameiurus natalis. Ictalurus, Greek, meaning "fish cat"; Ameiurus, Greek, meaning "privative curtailed," in reference to the caudal fin lacking a notch; natalis, Latin, meaning "of birth."[9]
^NatureServe (2013). "Ameiurus natalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T202675A2746631. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202675A2746631.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^Low, Jim (9 June 2006). "Yellow Bullhead Could Blow Existing World Record Out Of The Water". Southeastern Outdoors. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
^Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2023). "Ameiurus natalis" in FishBase. May 2023 version.
^Murie, D.J.; Parkyn, D.C.; Loftus, W.F.; Nico, L.G. (2009). "Variable growth and longevity of yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis) in the Everglades of south Florida, USA" (PDF). Journal of Applied Ichthyology. 25 (6): 740–745. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0426.2009.01300.x.
^"Yellow Bullhead (Ameiurus natalis)". Texas Parks & Wildlife. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
^ ab. Arizona Game and Fish Department. 2023. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023.
^Scharpf, Christopher (2020). "Lost in Translation: The True Meaning of Natalis in the Name of the Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis" (PDF). American Currents. North American Native Fishes Association. 45 (2): 11–17. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2006). "Ameiurus natalis" in FishBase. May 2006 version.
McClane, A.J. (1974). McClane's Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes of North America. New York: Henry Holt and Company. pp. 111–112. ISBN0-8050-0194-8. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via Internet Archive.
Earl J. S. Rook (1999). . Rook.org. Archived from the original on 13 June 2007.
Page, Lawrence; Burr, Brooks (1991). A Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. pp. 193–194. ISBN0-395-91091-9. Retrieved 11 February 2023 – via Internet Archive.
"Yellow Bullhead (Ameiurus natalis)". Texas Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
"Fishing: Yellow Bullhead". Sport Fish Species. Arizona Game and Fish Department. 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
External linksEdit
Media related to Ameiurus natalis at Wikimedia Commons
August 27, 2023
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This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations July 2018 Learn how and when to remove this template message The yellow bullhead Ameiurus natalis is a species of bullhead catfish a ray finned fish that lacks scales Yellow bullheadConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ActinopterygiiOrder SiluriformesFamily IctaluridaeGenus AmeiurusSpecies A natalisBinomial nameAmeiurus natalis Lesueur 1819 Synonyms 2 Pimelodus natalis Lesueur 1819 Silurus lividus Rafinesque 1819 Silurus xanthocephalus Rafinesque 1820 Silurus Pimelodus coenosus Richardson 1837 Pimelodus felinus Girard 1858 Pimelodus ailurus Girard 1858 Pimelodus antoniensis Girard 1858 Pimelodus catulus Girard 1858 Pimelodus puma Girard 1859 Amiurus erebennus Jordan 1877 Amiurus bolli Cope 1880 Amiurus prosthistius Cope 1883 Contents 1 Description 2 Diet 3 Habitat 4 Reproduction and life cycle 5 Distribution 6 Angling 7 Etymology 8 See also 9 References 10 Other sources 11 External linksDescription EditThe yellow bullhead is a medium sized member of the catfish family It is typically yellow olive to slate black on the back and may appear mottled depending on its habitat The sides are lighter and more yellowish while the underside of the head and body are bright yellow yellow white or bright white The rear edge of its caudal fin is rounded The anal fin has anywhere between 24 and 27 constituent rays more than that of other bullheads The yellow bullhead can be easily distinguished from the brown bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus and black bullhead A melas by the group of white barbels or whiskers under its chin Yellow bullheads are medium sized bullheads that rarely grow larger than 2 lb 0 91 kg but can reach up to 6 375 lb 2 892 kg 3 Yellow bullheads may grow to a maximum total length TL of 60 centimetres 24 in though they are more commonly 22 5 centimetres 8 9 in TL 4 and can live up to 12 years 5 Diet EditThe yellow bullhead is a voracious scavenger that will almost eat anything It locates prey by brushing the stream bottom with its barbels Taste buds on the barbels tell the yellow bullhead whether or not contact is made with edible prey They typically feed at night on a variety of plant and animal material both live and dead most commonly consisting of worms 6 insects snails minnows clams crayfish other small aquatic organisms plant matter and decaying animal matter Compared to black and brown bullheads yellow bullheads consume more aquatic vegetation 6 Habitat EditYellow bullhead are bottom dwellers living in areas with muck rock sand or clay substrates Its habitat includes river pools backwaters and sluggish current over soft or mildly rocky substrate in creeks small to larger rivers and shallow portions of lakes and ponds Their habitat can vary from a slow current with poorly oxygenated highly silted and highly polluted citation needed water to a more swift current with clean and clear water that has aquatic vegetation Fishermen often find them in sluggish creeks and rivers with a gravel bottom Reproduction and life cycle EditBullheads have a monogamous relationship with spawning beginning in mid May or early June with both sexes participating in nest building Bullheads usually use a natural cavity or make saucer shaped depressions near submerged cover such as tree roots or sunken logs The female will lay anywhere from 300 to 700 eggs at a time in a gelatinous mass with up to 4300 eggs deposited into the nest in total 6 After fertilization the male protects and continually fans the nest of eggs The eggs hatch in 5 to 7 days on average 6 Young fry are herded into tight schools by the male and are protected by both parents until they are approximately two inches long They grow to about three inches by one year of age Sexual maturity is achieved after two to three years by which time the fish have reached 140 millimetres 5 5 in in length 6 Distribution EditYellow bullhead have a wide range across the central and eastern US from the Rio Grande River to North Dakota and south eastern Canada and east through the Great Lakes region to the East Coast 6 7 They have also been introduced to the West 8 and can be caught as far up as northern Washington state Angling EditYellow bullheads are considered a minor game fish and their meat is considered sweet and has a good flavor but the meat can become soft in summer They are not as sought after as other catfish They can be caught on natural baits such as worms crickets or chicken liver fished on the bottom at night 8 Etymology EditNamed both Ictalurus natalis and Ameiurus natalis Ictalurus Greek meaning fish cat Ameiurus Greek meaning privative curtailed in reference to the caudal fin lacking a notch natalis Latin meaning of birth 9 See also EditBullhead catfish general References Edit NatureServe 2013 Ameiurus natalis IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013 e T202675A2746631 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2013 1 RLTS T202675A2746631 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 William Eschmeyer Catalogue of Fishes California Academy of Sciences Retrieved 9 August 2017 Low Jim 9 June 2006 Yellow Bullhead Could Blow Existing World Record Out Of The Water Southeastern Outdoors Retrieved 29 May 2022 Froese Rainer Pauly Daniel eds 2023 Ameiurus natalis in FishBase May 2023 version Murie D J Parkyn D C Loftus W F Nico L G 2009 Variable growth and longevity of yellow bullhead Ameiurus natalis in the Everglades of south Florida USA PDF Journal of Applied Ichthyology 25 6 740 745 doi 10 1111 j 1439 0426 2009 01300 x a b c d e f Jenkins Gabe 2005 Dewey Tanya Harrel Sherry eds Ameiurus natalis Bullhead Also Yellow Bullhead Animal Diversity Web Retrieved 12 July 2022 Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis Texas Parks amp Wildlife Retrieved 25 July 2022 a b Yellow Bullhead Arizona Game and Fish Department 2023 Archived from the original on 26 March 2023 Scharpf Christopher 2020 Lost in Translation The True Meaning of Natalis in the Name of the Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis PDF American Currents North American Native Fishes Association 45 2 11 17 Retrieved 19 July 2022 Other sources Edit Ameiurus natalis Integrated Taxonomic Information System Retrieved 6 June 2006 Froese Rainer Pauly Daniel eds 2006 Ameiurus natalis in FishBase May 2006 version McClane A J 1974 McClane s Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes of North America New York Henry Holt and Company pp 111 112 ISBN 0 8050 0194 8 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via Internet Archive Earl J S Rook 1999 A Boundary Waters Compendium Rook org Archived from the original on 13 June 2007 Page Lawrence Burr Brooks 1991 A Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes Boston Houghton Mifflin Company pp 193 194 ISBN 0 395 91091 9 Retrieved 11 February 2023 via Internet Archive Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis Texas Parks and Wildlife Retrieved 11 February 2023 Fishing Yellow Bullhead Sport Fish Species Arizona Game and Fish Department 2023 Retrieved 11 February 2023 External links EditMontana Fish Wildlife and Parks Guide Animal Diversity Web Minnesota Fish Department of Natural Resources Ohio Fish Department of Natural Resources Media related to Ameiurus natalis at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Yellow bullhead amp oldid 1163382434, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
