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Home/Species/ Flathead Catfish

Pylodictis olivaris

(Rafinesque, 1818)

Flathead Catfish

G5Secure Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105295
Element CodeAFCKA03010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderSiluriformes
FamilyIctaluridae
GenusPylodictis
Other Common Names
Barbu à tête plate (FR)
Concept Reference
Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Monotypic genus. Pylodictis and Satan are sister groups (Lundberg 1992, which see for a synthesis of recent work on the systematic relationships of ictalurid catfishes.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-02-09
Change Date1996-09-19
Range Extent Comments
Native to lower Great Lakes basin and Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio river basins, from western Pennsylvania and southern Ontario (introduced? breeding?; Goodchild 1993) to the White-Little Missouri river system, North Dakota, and south to Louisiana; Gulf Slope from Mobile Bay drainage, Georgia and Alabama, to Mexico; introduced in Florida, South Carolina, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, California (Lee and Terrell 1987), and elsewhere.
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of subpopulations and locations.
Threat Impact Comments
Localized threats may exist, but on a range-wide scale no major threats are known.
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

Differs from other catfishes by the following combination of characteristics: notable flattening of the head between the eyes; long, projecting lower jaw; large, flaplike adipose fin, separate from the caudal fin; relatively short anal fins with 14-17 rays; squarish caudal fin; elongate backward extensions on the premaxillary teeth; saw-edged pelvic spine; and 9 pelvic fin rays (Goodchild 1993).

Habitat

Most abundant in large and medium-sized, low- to moderate-gradient rivers and reservoirs. Highest growth rates generally occur in turbid, relatively shallow areas and in lower portions of streams (Lee and Terrell 1987). Adults occur in deep holes created by swirling currents, often among or near piles of drift, tangled timber, or other cover. Young often found in rocky and sandy runs and riffles (Becker 1983). See Lee and Terrell (1987) for a habitat suitability index model.

Spawns in secluded shelters and dark places such as hollow logs, riverbank holes, rock crevices, and among submerged timber, at depths of 2-5 m.

Ecology

72% of tagged individuals were recovered with 8 km of tagging site in Missouri study (Becker 1983).

Reproduction

Spawns in late spring and summer at water temperatures of 22-29 C. Eggs hatch in 6-8 days at 24-28 C. Sexually mature in 3-7 years, depending on conditions. Males attend eggs and fry for up to several days after hatching (Becker 1983, Smith 1979). Oldest reported specimens were 16 and 20 years old.
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
MichiganS3Yes
WisconsinS4Yes
VirginiaS4Yes
MarylandSNAYes
KentuckyS4Yes
ArkansasS4Yes
GeorgiaS4Yes
OregonSNANo
LouisianaS5Yes
FloridaSNRYes
New MexicoS2Yes
South CarolinaSNANo
ArizonaSNANo
TennesseeS5Yes
MissouriSNRYes
West VirginiaS5Yes
AlabamaS5Yes
North DakotaS4Yes
KansasS5Yes
New YorkSNRYes
MississippiS5Yes
CaliforniaSNANo
IllinoisS3Yes
WashingtonSNANo
NebraskaS4Yes
IndianaS5Yes
IdahoSNANo
South DakotaS5Yes
IowaS4Yes
OhioS5Yes
TexasS5Yes
MinnesotaSNRYes
OklahomaSNRYes
ColoradoS4Yes
North CarolinaS2Yes
CanadaNNA
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioSNANo
Roadless Areas (4)
Arizona (2)
AreaForestAcres
Lower San FranciscoApache-Sitgreaves National Forests59,310
PicachoTonto National Forest4,969
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Blue MountainOuachita National Forest9,755
New Mexico (1)
AreaForestAcres
Lower San FranciscoGila National Forest26,460
References (38)
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  2. Boschung, H. T., and R. L. Mayden. 2004. Fishes of Alabama. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. 960 pp.
  3. Burr, B. M., and M. L. Warren, Jr. 1986a. Distributional atlas of Kentucky fishes. Kentucky Nature Preserves Commission, Scientific and Technical Series No. 4, Frankfort, Kentucky. 398 pp.
  4. Cooper, E. L. 1983. Fishes of Pennsylvania and the northeastern United States. Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park. 243 pp.
  5. Cross, F. B., and J. T. Collins. 1995. Fishes in Kansas. Second Edition, revised. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History. xvii + 315 pp.
  6. Douglas, N. H. 1974. Freshwater fishes of Louisiana. Claitor's Publishing Division, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 443 pp.
  7. Eberle, Mark (Fort Hays State University, KS). 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI. April 2000.
  8. Etnier, D. A., and W. C. Starnes. 1993. The fishes of Tennessee. University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, Tennessee. xiv + 681 pp.
  9. Fago, D. 2000. Relative abundance and distribution of fishes in Wisconsin. Fish Distribution Database to year 2000. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
  10. Goodchild, C.D. 1993. Status of the Flathead Catfish, <i>Pylodictis olivaris</i>, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 107(4):410-416.
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  23. Mettee, M. F., P. E. O'Neil, and J. M. Pierson. 1996. Fishes of Alabama and the Mobile Basin. Oxmoor House, Birmingham, Alabama. 820 pp.
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