Ameiurus melas
Black Bullhead
Larry Page
Identification
The Black Bullhead has dusky or black chin barbels. The anal fin is comparatively short and rounded with 19-23 rays; the rays at the front of the fin are longer than those at the rear. The Black Bullhead lacks strong sawlike teeth on the rear of the pectoral spine but may have small teeth. The edge of the caudal fin is slightly notched in the middle. The color on the back and upper side varies from dark olive to yellow-brown. The sides are lighter, often shiny green-gold. The body below is yellow to white, and the fins are dusky to black. The caudal and anal fins have pale rays and black membranes. The body lacks mottling and a dark blotch at the base of the dorsal fin. The first gill arch has 15-21 rakers. To 24 1/4 in. (62 cm) total length.
Range
The native range of the Black Bullhead includes the Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, and Mississippi Rivers basins from New York to southern Saskatchewan and Montana, and south to the Gulf of Mexico, and drainages on the Gulf Slope from Mobile Bay, Georgia and Alabama, to northern Mexico. It has been introduced into Atlantic Slope drainages and elsewhere in the U.S. The species is common over most of its range.
Native distribution of Ameiurus melas. © Larry Page
Habitat
The Black Bullhead lives in slow current over soft substrates in pools and backwaters of creeks and small to large rivers, and in oxbows, ponds, and lakes.
Similar Species
The Brown Bullhead, A. nebulosus, has 5-8 large sawlike teeth on the rear edge of the pectoral spine and 11-15 rakers on the first gill arch, and usually has dark mottling on the side of the body. Unlike in the Black Bullhead, the anal fin is uniformly colored; i.e., the color of the membranes does not contrast with that of the rays. The Yellow Bullhead, A. natalis, has white or yellow chin barbels, no mottling on the side of the body, and 24-27 anal rays.
Title Illustrations
| Scientific Name | Ameiurus melas |
|---|---|
| Location | tributary in the Fox River Dr., Lake Co., IL |
| Specimen Condition | Dead Specimen |
| Identified By | L. M. Page |
| Size | 48 mm SL |
| Copyright |
© Larry Page
|
About This Page
Larry Page
Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, Florida, USA
Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to Larry Page at and Griffin Sheehy at
Page copyright © 2007 Larry Page
All Rights Reserved.
- First online 23 May 2007
- Content changed 23 May 2007
Citing this page:
Page, Larry. 2007. Ameiurus melas . Black Bullhead. Version 23 May 2007 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Ameiurus_melas/69827/2007.05.23 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/
