Tadpole madtom (Noturus gyrinus)

Image source: Roger Dennison | inaturalist.org

General data

Main name: Tadpole madtom
Climates: Subtropical, Temperate, Continental
Habitat: Freshwater
Native: North America
Distribution: Mississippi River, St. Lawrence River, Hudson River, Potomac, Susquehanna River, Suwannee River, View all... Nelson River, Lake Winnipeg, Delaware River, Connecticut River, Savannah river, James river, Pee Dee river, Apalachicola, Caloosahatchee, Everglades (Florida), Nueces River, Roanoke River, Merrimack River

Classification

Genus: Noturus - Madtoms
Family: Ictaluridae - North American freshwater catfishes
Order: Siluriformes - Catfishes
Class: Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes
Superclass: Osteichthyes - Bony fishes

Description

The tadpole madtom (Noturus gyrinus) is a species of fish in the family Ictaluridae. It is native to Canada and the United States. An adult tadpole madtom is typically 2–3 inches (50–80 mm), however they have been recorded at a length of 5 inches (130 mm). 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 rays; and 8–10 pelvic rays. The anal fin is of moderate length, but decreases with increasing body length. The tadpole madtoms also possess two pectoral spines through which an anti-predatory venom is transmitted. They have a terminal mouth with numerous small and sharp cardiform teeth. The teeth exist in numerous broad bands across the upper and lower jaw. The tadpole madtom is found in parts of the U.S. and Canada. In Canada it is native to Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan, and can be found in the Assiniboine, Saskatchewan, Souris, Red, English, Winnipeg, and Nelson rivers. In the United States is extensive, ranging from Texas to Florida and north along the Atlantic coast to New York. It can be found in the Mississippi River valley as well as the Great Lakes basin. In Minnesota it is present in all adjacent drainage systems to the Red River basin. In North Dakota it can be found in the Missouri river drainage. In South Dakota it is present in the eastern tributaries to the Missouri River, including the James River, as well as the Minnesota and Big Sioux river drainages. The tadpole madtom lives in areas with little to no current. They typically inhabit swamps and marshes, as well as lakes and slow moving streams and rivers 0.1–1.5 meters deep and 12–24 meters wide. They also prefer habitats with turbid water; a soft mud, sand or gravel bottom; and thick vegetation to use for crypsis.

Catches

Taxonomy of Fishes

Osteichthyes - Bony fishes->
- Coelacanthi - Lobe-finned fishes->
- Teleostei - Ray-finned fishes->
  - Perciformes - Perches->
  - Cypriniformes - Carps->
  - Esociformes - Pikes->
  - Salmoniformes - Salmons and Trouts->
  - Siluriformes - Catfishes->
    
    Siluridae - Eurasian catfishes->
    
    Ictaluridae - North American freshwater catfishes->
    
    Ameiurus - Bullheads->
    
    Ictalurus - North American catfishes->
    
    Pylodictis - Flathead catfishes->
    
    Noturus - Madtoms->
    
    Stonecat (Noturus flavus)
    
    Mountain madtom (Noturus eleutherus)
    
    Ozark madtom (Noturus albater)
    
    Smoky madtom (Noturus baileyi)
    
    Chucky madtom (Noturus crypticus)
    
    Elegant madtom (Noturus elegans)
    
    Slender madtom (Noturus exilis)
    
    Saddled madtom (Noturus fasciatus)
    
    Checkered madtom (Noturus flavater)
    
    Yellowfin madtom (Noturus flavipinnis)
    
    Black madtom (Noturus funebris)
    
    Carolina madtom (Noturus furiosus)
    
    Orangefin madtom (Noturus gilberti)
    
    Piebald madtom (Noturus gladiator)
    
    Tadpole madtom (Noturus gyrinus)
    
    Least madtom (Noturus hildebrandi)
    
    Margined madtom (Noturus insignis)
    
    Ouachita madtom (Noturus lachneri)
    
    Speckled madtom (Noturus leptacanthus)
    
    Black River madtom (Noturus maydeni)
    
    Brindled madtom (Noturus miurus)
    
    Frecklebelly madtom (Noturus munitus)
    
    Freckled madtom (Noturus nocturnus)
    
    Brown madtom (Noturus phaeus)
    
    Neosho madtom (Noturus placidus)
    
    Pygmy madtom (Noturus stanauli)
    
    Northern madtom (Noturus stigmosus)
    
    Caddo madtom (Noturus taylori)
    
    Scioto madtom (Noturus trautmani)
    
    Prietella - Prietella->
    
    Satan - Satan->
    
    Trogloglanis - Trogloglanis->
    
    Pimelodidae - Long-whiskered catfishes->
    
    Pangasiidae - Shark catfishes->
    
    Astroblepidae - Naked sucker-mouth catfishes->
    
    Clariidae - Airbreathing catfishes->
    
    Ariidae - Sea catfishes->
    
    Plotosidae - Eeltail catfishes->
    
    Doradidae - Thorny catfishes->
    
    Auchenipteridae - Driftwood catfishes->
    
    Bagridae - Naked catfishes->
    
    Callichthyidae - Armored catfishes->
    
    Sisoridae - Asian adhesive catfishes->
    
    Malapteruridae - Electric catfishes->
    
    Schilbeidae - Schilbid catfishes->
    
    Loricariidae - Armoured suckermouth catfishes->
    
    Heptapteridae - Three-barbeled catfishes->
    
    Ailiidae - Asian schilbeids->
    
    Akysidae - Stream catfishes->
    
    Amblycipitidae - Torrent catfishes->
    
    Amphiliidae - Loach catfishes->
    
    Anchariidae - Vaonas->
    
    Aspredinidae - Banjo catfishes->
    
    Austroglanididae - Austroglanids->
    
    Cetopsidae - Whale catfishes->
    
    Chacidae - Squarehead or angler catfish->
    
    Claroteidae - Claroteid catfishes->
    
    Cranoglanididae - Armorhead catfishes->
    
    Diplomystidae - Velvet catfishes->
    
    Erethistidae - South Asian river catfishes->
    
    Heteropneustidae - Airsac catfishes->
    
    Horabagridae - Imperial catfishes->
    
    Kryptoglanidae - Indian cave catfishes->
    
    Lacantuniidae - Chiapas catfishes->
    
    Mochokidae - Squeakers or upside-down catfishes->
    
    Nematogenyidae - Mountain catfishes->
    
    Olyridae - Longtail catfishes->
    
    Parakysidae - Parakysid catfishes->
    
    Phreatobiidae - Cistern catfishes->
    
    Pseudopimelodidae - Bumblebee catfishes, dwarf marbled catfishes->
    
    Scoloplacidae - Spiny dwarf catfishes->
    
    Trichomycteridae - Pencil or parasitic catfishes->
  - Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes->
  - Gasterosteiformes - Sticklebacks->
  - Gadiformes - Cods->
  - Anguilliformes - Eels and morays->
  - Clupeiformes - Herrings->
  - Syngnathiformes - Pipefishes and Seahorses->
  - Gobiiformes - Gobies->
  - Mugiliformes - Mullets->
  - Carangiformes - Jacks->
  - Beloniformes - Needlefishes->
  - Labriformes - Wrasses->
  - Scombriformes - Mackerels->
  - Mulliformes - Goatfishes->
  - Pleuronectiformes - Flatfishes->
  - Aulopiformes - Grinners->
  - Blenniiformes - Blennies->
  - Cyprinodontiformes - Toothcarps->
  - Osmeriformes - Smelts->
  - Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes->
  - Cichliformes - Cichlids->
  - Characiformes - Characins->
  - Osteoglossiformes - Bony tongues->
  - Elopiformes - Tarpons and tenpounders->
  - Anabantiformes - Gouramies and snakeheads->
  - Gymnotiformes - South American knifefish->
  - Istiophoriformes - Barracudas->
  - Albuliformes - Bonefishes->
  - Lepidogalaxiiformes - Salamanderfishes->
  - Lophiiformes - Anglerfishes->
  - Spariformes - Breams and porgies->
  - Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes->
  - Moroniformes - Temperate basses->
  - Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes->
  - Zeiformes - Dories->
  - Tetraodontiformes - Puffers and filefishes->
  - Holocentriformes - Squirrelfishes->
  - Dactylopteriformes - Flying gurnards->
  - Lampriformes - Lamprids->
  - Galaxiiformes - Southern smelts->
  - Batrachoidiformes - Toadfishes->
  - Hiodontiformes - Mooneyes->
  - Percopsiformes - Trout-perches->
  - Callionymiformes - Dragonets->
  - Atheriniformes - Silversides->
  - Notacanthiformes - Spiny eels->
  - Saccopharyngiformes - Swallowers and Gulpers->
  - Alepocephaliformes - Slickheads and tubeshoulders->
  - Gonorynchiformes - Milkfishes->
  - Argentiniformes - Marine smelts->
  - Stomiiformes - Lightfishes and dragonfishes->
  - Ateleopodiformes - Jellynose fishes->
  - Myctophiformes - Lanternfishes->
  - Stylephoriformes - Tube-eyes->
  - Polymixiiformes - Beardfishes->
  - Beryciformes - Sawbellies->
  - Trachichthyiformes - Rughies->
  - Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels->
  - Kurtiformes - Nurseryfishes & Cardinalfishes->
  - Synbranchiformes - Swamp eels->
  - Gobiesociformes - Clingfishes->
  - Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses->
- Cladistii - Bichirs->
- Dipneusti - Lungfishes->
- Chondrostei - Sturgeons->
- Holostei - Gars and Bowfins->
Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes->
Agnatha - Jawless fishes->