Noturus gyrinus
Tadpole Madtom
Larry Page
Identification
The body and fins of the Tadpole Madtom are uniformly light tan or brown with a dark gray veinlike line along the middle of the side. It has a stout body and a terminal mouth with equal jaws (neither jaw protrudes in front of the other). The pectoral spine lacks sawlike teeth on its rear edge. The caudal fin is rounded on the adult but often is more pointed on a juvenile. There are 13-18 anal rays. To 5 in. (13 cm) total length.
Range
The Tadpole Madtom is found in Atlantic and Gulf Slope drainages from New Hampshire to the Nueces River in Texas and in the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes, Hudson Bay (Red River), and Mississippi River basins from southern Quebec to southern Saskatchewan, and south to the Gulf of Mexico. The species has been introduced into the Snake River in Idaho and Oregon and may have been introduced into Massachusetts and New Hampshire. It is common over most of its range but avoids high-gradient streams and thus is absent from the Appalachian and Ozark Highlands.
Distribution of Noturus gyrinus. © Larry Page
Habitat
The Tadpole Madtom lives in pools and backwaters of sluggish creeks and small to large rivers, and in shallow areas of lakes. It avoids fast rocky streams and usually is found near rocks or debris over a soft substrate.
Similar Species
The Ouachita Madtom, Noturus lachneri, has a shorter and flatter head and a more slender body. The Broadtail Madtom, an undescribed species of Noturus, has an upper jaw that projects beyond the lower jaw. The Speckled Madtom, Noturus leptacanthus, has dark spots on the body and fins and a caudal fin with a straight edge.
Title Illustrations
| Scientific Name | Noturus gyrinus |
|---|---|
| Location | Obion R. system, TN |
| Identified By | Richard T. Bryant & Wayne C. Starnes |
| Life Cycle Stage | Adult |
| Size | 57 mm SL |
| Copyright | © Richard T. Bryant & Wayne C. Starnes |
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. Noturus gyrinus . Tadpole Madtom. Version 23 May 2007 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Noturus_gyrinus/69905/2007.05.23 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/
