North American Catfishes
Family Ictaluridae
Catfish, bullhead and madtom are related to minnows and suckers. These species are flattened, have eight barbels around their mouths, are scaleless and have an adipose fin. This is a North American family of fish, although other families of catfishes are found globally. Bullhead and catfish grow to a relatively large size and are found primarily in larger rivers and lakes and ponds. They occur in every drainage in New York, although for some species, the broad range present today is the result of introductions into new drainages. The four species of madtom present in the state are small, stream-dwelling fish with limited ranges although these too have seen range expansions in recent years. All nine species are native to the state.
