Under Construction

Ameiurus natalis (Lesueur 1819)

Yellow Bullhead

Larry Page
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Containing group: Ameiurus

Identification

The Yellow Bullhead has white or yellow chin barbels throughout most of its range (dusky brown in peninsular Florida). The anal fin is long and fairly straight in outline, with 24-27 rays. The rays at the front of the anal fin are slightly longer than those at the rear. There are 5-8 large teeth on the rear of the pectoral spine. The caudal fin edge is rounded or truncate (almost straight). The body is yellow-olive to slate-black above, with a lighter, yellow-olive side and w hite to bright yellow below. The fins are dusky, and the anal fin commonly has a dusky stripe in the middle. The dorsal fin base lacks the dark blotch found in some other species of Ameiurus. The first gill arch has 13-15 rackers. To 18 1/4 in. (47 cm) total length.

Range

The native range of the Yellow Bullhead is Atlantic and Gulf Slope drainages from New York to northern Mexico, and the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins from southern Quebec west to central North Dakota and south to the Gulf of Mexico. Yellow Bullheads are introduced into many other regions of the United States. The species is common, especially in the center of its range.

Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window

Native distribution of Ameiurus natalis. © Larry Page

Habitat

Yellow Bullheads are found 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 Black Bullhead, A. melas, has dusky or black chin barbels, a rounded anal fin, and fewer anal rays (19-23) and rakers on the first gill arch (15-21). The Brown Bullhead, A. nebulosus, usually is mottled on the side of the body, has dusky or black chin barbels and fewer anal rays (19-23).

Other Names for Ameiurus natalis (Lesueur 1819)

Title Illustrations
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Scientific Name Ameiurus natalis
Location Coon Cr., Iroquois Co., IL
Specimen Condition Dead Specimen
Identified By L. M. Page
Life Cycle Stage Adult
Size 92 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

All Rights Reserved.

Citing this page:

Page, Larry. 2007. Ameiurus natalis (Lesueur 1819). Yellow Bullhead. Version 23 May 2007 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Ameiurus_natalis/69831/2007.05.23 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

edit this page
close box

This page is a Tree of Life Leaf Page.

Each ToL leaf page provides a synopsis of the characteristics of a group of organisms representing a leaf at the tip of the Tree of Life. The major distinction between a leaf and a branch of the Tree of Life is that a leaf cannot generally be further subdivided into subgroups representing distinct genetic lineages.

For a more detailed explanation of the different ToL page types, have a look at the Structure of the Tree of Life page.

close box

Ameiurus natalis

Page Content

articles & notes

collections

people

Explore Other Groups

random page

  go to the Tree of Life home page
top