Pylodictis
olivaris (Rafinesque, 1818)
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| Image
contributors to this species: |
| Garold
W.Sneegas (2)
Gordon
Mascall (3) Johnny
Jensen's Photographic Library
(1) |
| ScotCat
Sources: |
 
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| Other
Sources: |
  
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| Relevant
Information: |
Inhabit pools with logs
and other debris in low-gradient to moderate-gradient, small to
large rivers. Also found in lakes and impoundments. Young occur
in rocky and sandy runs and riffles. Juveniles feed on aquatic
insect immatures in riffle areas. The adults feed on fishes and
crayfish. This is not a catfish for the home aquarium and can
only be housed when large in a public aquarium facility. Breeding:
They first spawn at about 4-5 years old in June and July when
water temperatures reach 22-23° C (72-75° F). The flathead,
normally a loner fish, pairs up with one of the opposite sex and
both the male and female construct the nest. They dig out a large
hole under a bank or log or dig down through silt and mud until
they reach gravel. They spawn in the nest with the female laying
eggs in bunches of 30 to 50. A single female can lay 3,000-30,000
eggs depending on her size. When the female is done, she leaves
the nest. The male fans the eggs with his fins. After they hatch,
he protects the young until they can feed on their own. This is
a good sport and food fish and is commercially important in some
areas. |
| Common
Name: |
Flathead
Catfish |
| Synonyms: |
Silurus olivaris,
Hopladelus olivaris, Pelodichthys olivaris, Leptops olivaris,
Opladelus olivaris |
| Family: |
Ictaluridaelycipitidae |
| Distribution: |
North America: lower
Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins from western Pennsylvania
to White-Little Missouri River system in North Dakota, and south
to Louisiana in the USA; Gulf Slope from Mobile Bay drainage in
Georgia and Alabama, USA to Mexico. Transplanted elsewhere in
USA. |
| Size:
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155cm. (5ft-2ins) |
| Temp: |
08
-30°C (45-87°F) |
| p.H. |
6.0-7.5. |
| Reference: |
Froese, R. and
D. Pauly. Editors. 2009. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic
publication. www.fishbase.org, version (01/2011).
ScotCat Factsheet no. 85. July 2003.
Knopf, The
Audubon Society Field guide to North America Fishes, Whales &
Dolphins, 1986. |
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Family:
Ictaluridae
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| Click
on thumbnails |
Pylodictis olivaris
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 Pylodictis
olivaris
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 Pylodictis
olivaris
Caught in lake in Texas
35 lbs
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 Pylodictis
olivaris
Caught in lake in Texas
35 lbs
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 Pylodictis
olivaris
Gape of mouth
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 Pylodictis
olivaris
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