Amia calva

Linnaeus, 1766

Bowfin

GNRUnranked Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
GNRUnrankedGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1281382
Element CodeAFCCA01030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderAmiiformes
FamilyAmiidae
GenusAmia
Other Common Names
Ruddy Bowfin (EN)
Concept Reference
Brownstein, C. D., D. Kim, O. D. Orr, G. M. Hogue, B. H. Tracy, M. W. Pugh, R. Singer, C. Myles-McBurney, J. M. Mollish, J. W. Simmons, S. R. David, G. Watkins-Colwell, E. A. Hoffman, and T. J. Near. 2022. Hidden species diversity in an iconic living fossil vertebrate. Biology Letters 18(11):20220395. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2022.0395
Taxonomic Comments
Amia ocellicauda was previously synonymized with A. calva but recognized as a separate species by Brownstein et al. (2022).
Conservation Status
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Range Extent Comments
This species occurs in the southeastern United States and is distributed from the Pearl River in Louisiana and Mississippi to the Florida Peninsula, and the rivers draining to the Atlantic Ocean in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia (Brownstein et al. 2022).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Habitat includes swampy vegetated sloughs and backwaters of lowland streams and bays of warm clear lakes (Lee et al. 1980, Page and Burr 2011). One was found estivating in a moist chamber on land along a river floodplain (Scott and Crossman 1973). Eggs are laid in nests in areas cleared of vegetation or under logs, stumps, or bushes (Scott and Crossman 1973).

Reproduction

Spawns in spring. Eggs laid in nest made by male. Male guards eggs until hatching in 10 days. Male guards schooling larvae. Schools break up in about 2 months. Sexually mature in 3-5 years.
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLAND
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
MississippiS5Yes
LouisianaSNRYes
AlabamaS5Yes
South CarolinaS5Yes
New JerseySNANo
GeorgiaS5Yes
VirginiaSNRYes
North CarolinaS5Yes
FloridaS5Yes
MarylandSNAYes
Roadless Areas (1)
Florida (1)
AreaForestAcres
Alexander Springs CreekOcala National Forest2,954
References (8)
  1. Becker, G. C. 1983. Fishes of Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. 1,052 pp.
  2. Berry, F.H. 1955. Food of the mudfish, <i>Amia calva</i>, in Lake Newman, Florida, in relation to its management. Quarterly Journal of the Florida Academy of Sciences 18(1):69-75.
  3. Brownstein, C. D., D. Kim, O. D. Orr, G. M. Hogue, B. H. Tracy, M. W. Pugh, R. Singer, C. Myles-McBurney, J. M. Mollish, J. W. Simmons, S. R. David, G. Watkins-Colwell, E. A. Hoffman, and T. J. Near. 2022. Hidden species diversity in an iconic living fossil vertebrate. Biology Letters 18(11):20220395. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2022.0395
  4. Lee, D. S., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980. Atlas of North American freshwater fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina. i-x + 854 pp.
  5. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp.
  6. Page, L. M., K. E. Bemis, T. E. Dowling, H.S. Espinosa-Pérez, L.T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, K. E. Hartel, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, M. A. Neigbors, J. J. Schmitter-Soto, and H. J. Walker, Jr. 2023. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Eighth edition. American Fisheries Society (AFS), Special Publication 37, Bethesda, Maryland, 439 pp.
  7. 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.
  8. Scott, W. B., and E. J. Crossman. 1973. Freshwater fishes of Canada. Fisheries Research Board of Canada, Bulletin 184. 966 pp.