White bullhead

The white bullhead is native to river systems of the Eastern United States from the Hudson River in New York to the Peace River in Florida and west to the Apalachicola River, Florida. White bullheads may have migrated naturally into Connecticut rivers as a result of the white bullhead's salt tolerance. in 1874. It has additionally become established in the Columbia River basin and in Puerto Rico as an introduced species. == Description ==

Ameiurus catus has a head with eight barbels, two nasal, two maxillary and four chin. It is scaleless. It has a spine on the anterior edge of its dorsal and pectoral fins. It usually has six dorsal soft rays. It does not have palatine teeth. It typically weighs between , Like the yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis), white catfish have light-colored chin barbels. In A. catus the tail is forked, while it is rounded or truncate in A. natalis. In comparison to channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), A. catus typically has a larger head relative to its body width at maturity == Habitat ==

Ameiurus catus prefers sluggish, mud-bottom pools and backwaters of rivers and streams, and does well in lakes and large impoundments. == Behavior ==

Feeding White catfish feed mostly on the bottom, where they eat other fish and aquatic insects. They feed most actively at dusk and through the night mostly on bottom-dwelling insects, worms, amphipods, and other small invertebrates. Reproduction Reproduction occurs from April to July when the water temperature ranges between . A gelatinous mass of eggs is deposited in a cavity created by hollow logs or undercut banks. The male guards the nest and incubates the eggs by continually fanning fresh water over them. == Ecology ==

Predation by introduced white bullheads contributed to the extirpation of Sacramento perch (Archoplites interruptus) from Thurston Lake by 1970. ==See also==