Channel catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
Summary 2
Family: Ictaluridae
Channel catfish(Ictalurus punctatus) live along the bottoms of the big lakes and larger rivers. During the day, they are usually hiding under banks, in log piles, etc. They are much more active at night, and that is when they hunt. Barbels /whiskers are covered with taste buds that enable fish to “taste” environment and track prey in darkness. They eat fishes, crayfishes, etc., and will even scavenge dead animals in the water.
How to recognize: Eight barbels /whiskers (four pairs) around the mouth. Strong spine along the leading edge of the fin on the back and the two fins immediately behind the head. Back edge of these spines is strongly serrated. Upper jaw extends farther forward than the lower jaw. Juveniles and smaller adults are cream colored with scattered black spots. Larger adults are a uniform blue gray. Up to 3 feet /0.9 meters long.
Sources and Credits
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