Native: Yes
State Rank: S4
ITIS Code: 164029
National Rank: N5
Global Rank: G5
Modeled By: Anna Loan-Wilsey
State Range:
The flathead catfish can be found in most large interior streams of Iowa and is one the most abundant large catfishes of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers (Harlan et al. 1987). It is almost absent from the interior streams of the Missouri River basin and rare in natural lakes, man-made lakes and reservoirs (Harlan et al. 1987).
Habitat Affinities:
The flathead catfish inhabits a wide variety of habitats and can tolerate extreme turbidity (Robison and Buchanan 1988; Trautman 1981) but avoids headwater creeks, high-gradient streams (Pflieger 1997) and strong currents (Phillips et al. 1982). During the daylight hours it is typically found adjacent to deep pools created by strong current in large sluggish rivers (Becker 1983; Clay 1975; Cross and Collins 1995; Douglas 1974; Etnier and Starnes 1993; Trautman 1981), or low gradient tributaries of large streams (Eddy and Underhill 1974; Etnier and Starnes 1993). In Iowa and Illinois, the flathead catfish is found mainly in mud-bottomed areas and deep waters in pools (Harlan et al. 1987; Smith 1979). The flathead catfish also inhabits reservoirs (Robison and Buchanan 1988; Etnier and Starnes 1993), but is more plentiful below dams of major impoundments (Eddy and Underhill 1974; Douglas 1974). It is usually found about drift piles, submerged logs or fallen trees with hard-bottomed substrates of sand or silt (Becker 1983; Clay 1975; Pflieger 1997; Trautman 1981). Riffles are used nocturnally feeding adults and are the main habitat of young, which also stay in pools, backwaters and sheltered places as they mature (Clay 1975; Pflieger 1997; Phillips et. al. 1982; Trautman 1981).
Predictive Model(s):
Statewide Model: by 8-digit HU [Decision Tree Analysis n=120]
The distribution is based upon existing collection records.
("FLOW" = 1 AND "TEMP_CODE" = 2 AND "LINKR" > 5)
Mississippi River Model:
The distribution is based upon existing collection records and professional review.
("pool" >= 'S08' AND "pool" <= 'S20')
Missouri River Model
The distribution is based upon existing collection records and professional review.
("pool" >= 'O17' AND "pool" <= 'O19')
Overall Prediction:
("FLOW" = 1 AND "TEMP_CODE" = 2 AND "LINKR" > 5) OR
("pool" >= 'S08' AND "pool" <= 'S20') OR ("pool" >= 'O17' AND "pool" <= 'O19')
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Additional References:
Barnickol, P.G. and W.C. Starrett. 1951. Commercial and sport fishes of the Mississippi River between Caruthersville, Missouri, and Dubuque, Iowa. Bulletin of the Illinois Natural History Survey 25(5):267-350.
Coon, T.G., and H.R. Dames. 1989. Catfish movement and habitat use in a Missouri River tributary. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 43:119-132.
Cross, F.B. 1967. Handbook of fishes of Kansas. University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Miscellaneous Publication No. 45, Lawrence, Kansas. 357 pp.
Duncan, T.O., and M.R. Meyers, Jr. 1978. Movements of channel catfish and flathead catfish in Beaver Reservoir, northwest Arkansas. Proceedings of the Arkansas Academy of Science 32:43-45.
Gelwicks, G.T. 1995. Fish movement between the lower Missouri River and a managed floodplain wetland in Missouri. Master’s thesis. University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri. 190 pp.
Goodchild, C.D. 1993. Status report on the flathead catfish Pylodictis olivaris in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). 20 pp.
Harlan, J.R., and E.B. Speaker. 1951. Iowa fish and fishing. Iowa Conservation Commission. Des Moines, Iowa. 238 pp.
Hart, L.G., and R.C. Summerfelt. 1974. Homing behavior of flathead catfish, Pylodictis olivaris (Rafinesque), tagged with ultrasonic transmitters. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Southeastern Game and Fish Commission 27:520-531.
Insaurralde, M.S. 1992. Environmental characteristics associated with flathead catfish in four Mississippi streams. Ph.D. dissertation, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi. 152 pp.
Kelly, G., editor. 1986. Animal habitat relations handbook. Missouri Department of Conservation and U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Jefferson City, Missouri. 293 pp.
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Sheehan, R.J., W.M. Lewis, and L.R. Bodensteiner. 1990. Winter habitat requirements and overwintering of riverine fishes. Southern Illinois Fisheries Research Laboratory, Carbondale, Illinois. D-J Project F-79-R, Study 101. 234 pp.
Skains, J. A. 1992. Linear home range and movements of flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris) in two Mississippi streams. Master’s thesis, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Mississippi. 75 pp.
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Photo Credits:
Upper Left: Photo courtesy of Konrad P. Schmidt, copyright Konrad P. Schmidt.
Upper Right: Photo courtesy of the Native Fish Conservancy. http://www.nativefish.org.