Blue Catfish Names
Pimelodus furcatus valenciennes 1840.
Blue catfish names. Now the easiest way to identify a blue catfish is the size. Blue cat hump back blue silver cat fork tail cat as the largest freshwater fish species in north america the blue catfish is an angler s dream providing an easy catch and an excellent source of meat. Also native to the atlantic slope of mexico page and burr 1991 if not distinguished separately from i. Blue catfish has a deeply forked tail fin.
It s got a flat leading edge and square corner. If you have anything over 40 pounds chances are you dealing with a blue catfish. The blue catfish ictalurus furcatus is the largest species of north american catfish reaching a length of 165 cm 65 in and a weight of 68 kg 150 lb. Blue catfish have a forked tail and are sometimes very similar to channel catfish.
The blue catfish is a species in the large taxonomic order siluriformes. James mattaponi pamunkey rappahannock staunton and appomattox. Heavy bodied with a wide head and high spot forward of center near the head called the dorsal hump. Ictalurus is greek meaning fish cat and furcatus is latin meaning forked a reference to the species forked tail fin.
The siluriformes order contains the thousands of different species of catfish on earth. Blue catfish have a rectangular anal fin. Blue catfish are native to the mississippi river basin. The for sure way to tell about smaller fish is the anal fin.
This large catfish is distinguished by its blueish back and side lack of black spots and humped back near the dorsal fin. It is the largest species of catfish in north america. In south carolina blue catfish are found in almost every drainage. Blue catfish ictalurus furcatus common names.
The typical length is about 25 46 in 64 117 cm. The fish can live to 20 years. Ictalurus furcatus is endemic to the mississippi missouri and ohio river basins of the central and southern united states and inhabits gulf coast streams from alabama south into mexico. White catfishes don t get over 20 pounds.
Some of its closest relatives include the bullhead catfish channel catfish and more.