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Ameiurus melas (Rafinesque, 1820)

Black bullhead
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Ameiurus melas
Picture by Muséum-Aquarium de Nancy/D. Terver


Italy country information

Common names: Pesce gatto
Occurrence: introduced
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: occasional (usually not seen) | Ref:
Importance: minor commercial | Ref: FAO, 1994
Aquaculture: commercial | Ref: FAO Fishery Information, Data and Statistics Service, 1993
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments: Introduced in the 1800s. Assumed to be introduced for aquaculture. Widespread and regarded as a nuisance. Established in the Italian peninsula and islands (Ref. 94493). Naturalized in 1908 (Ref. 45688). Preys on native species (Ref. 94493). Also Ref. 1739, 7306, 13686.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/it.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Gandolfi, G., S. Zerunian, P. Torricelli and A. Marconato (eds.), 1991
National Database: ICTIMED

Common names from other countries

Classificatie / Names Lokale namen | Synoniemen | Catalog of Fishes(Genus, Soort(en)) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

> Siluriformes (Catfishes) > Ictaluridae (North American freshwater catfishes)
Etymology: Ameiurus: Greek, a = without + Greek, meiouros, -os, -on = without tail (Ref. 45335);  melas: Ameiurus (Greek) meaning privative curtailed (referring to the caudal fin lacking a notch); melas for black (Ref. 79012).
  More on author: Rafinesque.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecologie

; zoet water demersaal; pH range: 6.5 - 8.0; dH range: 4 - 25; amfidroom (Ref. 51243); diepte 10 - ? m.   Temperate; 8°C - 30°C (Ref. 2059); 52°N - 26°N

Verspreiding Landen | FAO regio's | Ecosystemen | Voorkomen | Point map | Introducties | Faunafri

North America: Great Lakes to northern Mexico. Confusion over the taxonomic status of this species together with Ameiurus nebulosus resulted in more doubts as to which of the two is present in some countries. In Europe it forms dense stunted populations which makes it unpopular. Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction (Ref. 1739). In Europe, self-sustaining populations recorded from Ebro and Tagus drainages (Iberian Peninsula), most drainages of France, locally in Italy, the Netherlands and Germany; distribution could be wider (Ref. 59043)

Grootte / Gewicht / Leeftijd

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 66.0 cm TL mannelijk / geslacht onbekend; (Ref. 40637); common length : 26.6 cm TL mannelijk / geslacht onbekend; (Ref. 12193); max. gepubliceerd gewicht: 3.6 kg (Ref. 4699); max. gerapporteerde leeftijd: 10 Jaren (Ref. 12193)

Biologie     Verklarende woordenlijst (bv. epibenthic)

Inhabits pools, backwaters, and sluggish current over soft substrates in creeks and small to large rivers; impoundments, oxbows, and ponds. Nocturnal feeder, young consume immature insects, leeches, and crustaceans while adults also feed on clams, snails, plant material, and fishes (Ref. 1998, 9669, 10294). Edible (Ref. 1998). Are susceptible of being caught, where they are abundant, with baited lines intended for other species. Is considered a nuisance (Ref. 30578). Often misidentified as A. nebulosus (Ref. 59043).

Levenscyclus en paargedrag Maturities | Voortplanting | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larven

The female prepares the nest by clearing debris, gravel and silt found on the bottom. Before spawning, the pair engages in butting and in sliding its barbels over the body of the other. The female releases her eggs after the male wraps his caudal fin around the head of the female. The pair can spawn up to five times in an hour. In between spawning, the female fans the eggs. Both male and female guards and fans the eggs.

Hoofdreferentie Upload your references | Referenties | Coördinator | Medewerkers

Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr, 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p. (Ref. 5723)

Status op de Rode Lijst van het IUCN (Ref. 130435)

  Niet bedreigd (LC) ; Date assessed: 14 October 2011

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Gevaar voor de mens

  Potential pest




Gebruik door de mens

Visserij: commercieel; Aquacultuur: commercieel; sportvis: ja
FAO(Aquaculture systems: productie; ; publication : search) | FishSource |

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Estimates based on models

Fylogenetische diversiteitsindex (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5078   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00891 (0.00689 - 0.01153), b=3.11 (3.04 - 3.18), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref. 93245).
Trofisch niveau (Ref. 69278):  3.8   ±0.4 se; based on diet studies.
Weerstandsvermogen (Ref. 120179):  Gemiddeld, minimale populatieverdubbelingstijd 1,4-4,4 jaar (tmax=10; Assuming tm=3).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Moderate to high vulnerability (46 of 100).
Prijsklasse (Ref. 80766):   Unknown.