Flathead Catfish
Pylodictis
olivaris
Description
To 4'5" (1.4 m); 9 1/4 lbs (41.4 kg).
Elongate, slender; back and sides olive-yellow to light brown with
dark mottling; belly yellowish; caudal fin dark brown to black, with
upper lobe unpigmented; other fins yellowish to light brown. Head
large, wide, very flat; eyes small; mouth wide, lower jaw projecting
beyond upper, 4 pairs of short barbels. Adipose fin large; dorsal
fin spine weak; 14-17 anal fin rays; caudal fin truncate, weakly
notched.
Habitat
Large creeks, rivers, and reservoirs,
usually near cover of rocks, logs, or other debris.
Range
Se. Ontario; w. Pennsylvania, sw. Wisconsin
and North Dakota, south to Texas and ne. Mexico; east in Gulf
drainages to Mobile Bay drainage of Alabama, Georgia.
Discussion
The Flathead Catfish, a good sport and
food fish, is commercially important in some areas. The young feed
on aquatic insects, but gradually shift their diet to fishes and
crayfishes as they mature.
