Iowa DNR
BioNet
River & Stream Biological Monitoring
Fish and Benthic Macroinvertebrate Surveys
Physical Habitat Assessments

Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus

Family
Ictaluridae (North American Catfishes)
Tolerance
Intermediate
Trophic Class
Insectivore
Is Exotic to Iowa?
False
Is Lithophilous Spawner?
False
Is Hybrid?
False
State Listing Status
Not Listed
Assessment Program Statistics

This species was found at 0 bioassessment sites, 0 rapid fish bioassessment sites, 0 fisheries assessment sites, and 0 fisheries presence-only assessment sites. In total, it was collected at 0 distinct sites, or 0% of the 1512 total sites monitored by the bioassessment program. It is the 133rd most commonly collected species.

The Brown Bullhead was collected in 0 bioassessment sampling sessions and 0 fisheries assessment sessions. It was present in 0 rapid bioassessment sessions and 0 presence-only sessions.

The biological assessment program has collected a total of 0 individual Brown Bullhead specimens, ranking it the #141 most collected fish.

Species Characteristics

Olive to brown with dark mottlings on its sides, fading to white or cream underneath. Fleshy barbels are dusky to black. It can easily be distinguished from the Black Bullhead by the lack of a light-colored bar at the base of the caudal (tail) fin and black coloration in the membrane between the rays (soft spines) of these fins. There are 20 to 24, usually 22-23, rays in the anal fin. The caudal fin is slightly notched. The teeth are in pads on both jaws and are used largely for tearing and pulling off pieces of their food.

Species Distribution Maps

HUC12 watersheds where this species has been found