Noturus insignis
Margined Madtom
Larry Page
Identification
The body of the Margined Madtom is yellow to slate gray above and white or light below. The fins are yellow or light gray and the median fins, except for the adipose fin, have a black edge. Fin borders are blackest in clear streams and may be only dusky in color in turbid water. Individuals in the Dan River, Virginia, have dark spots on the body and fins. The upper jaw projects beyond the lower jaw. The rear edge of the pectoral spine has large teeth. The caudal fin edge is straight or slightly rounded. The anal fin has 15-21 rays. To 6 in. (15 cm) total length.
Range
The Margined Madtom is found on the Atlantic Slope from the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes drainages, southern Quebec and Ontario, to the upper Altamaha River drainage in Georgia. It also is found in the upper Kanawha (New) River system in Virginia and North Carolina, and the upper Monongahela River system in Pennsylvania and Maryland. The Margined Madtom has been introduced into the Merrimack River, New Hampshire, and the upper Tennessee River drainage in Virginia and Tennessee. This species is common in the U.S., but is protected in Canada as a threatened species.
Distribution of Noturus insignis. © Larry Page
Habitat
The Margined Madtom inhabits rocky riffles and runs of clear, fast creeks and small to medium rivers.
Similar Species
The Slender Madtom, Noturus exilis, is the only other madtom to have black borders on its fins, but differs from the Margined Madtom in that the jaws are equal (upper jaw does not project beyond lower jaw), and there is a large light yellow spot on the nape and a smaller one on the rear of the dorsal fin base.
Title Illustrations
| Scientific Name | Noturus insignis |
|---|---|
| Location | Roanoke R., Roanoke Co., VA |
| Specimen Condition | Dead Specimen |
| Identified By | L. M. Page |
| Life Cycle Stage | Adult |
| Size | 108 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. Noturus insignis . Margined Madtom. Version 23 May 2007 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Noturus_insignis/69896/2007.05.23 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/
