180 NORTHERN FISHES 



There are lateral backward extensions on the premaxillary band of 

 teeth. Although the wounds caused by the pectoral and dorsal spines 

 of other members of this family are more irritating than would be ex- 

 pected, the members of this genus and the following one, Schilbeodes, 

 have much better developed poison glands, particularly on the bases of 

 the pectoral spines. A slight prick from a spine may be exceedingly 

 painful. The skin is thick and villose. The anal rays number 16. One 

 species occurring in this genus ranges east of the Rocky Mountains 

 from Montana to New York, and southward to Oklahoma and Alabama. 



STONECAT 



Noturus flavus Rafinesque 



This species is easily distinguished from the bullheads of the genus 

 Ameiuribs by the fact that the long, low adipose fin is continuous with 

 the caudal except for a shallow notch, whereas these fins are entirely 

 separate in the bullheads. The body is moderately elongate, broad 

 and flat in front of the dorsal, and subcylindrical behind it. It is yellow- 

 ish brown in color, the sides of the head shade to yellow, and the belly 

 is whitish. This species seldom exceeds a length of 9 inches. 



This little fish is very common under stones and logs in swift water. 

 Cox (1897) reported this species in Minnesota from the Blue Earth 

 River at Mankato. but its distribution in the state is a matter of con- 

 jecture. Apparently it is a southern fish, for all records in the Univer- 

 sity of Minnesota collections are from the southernmost counties. 

 Greene (1935) reported it from swift streams with stony bottoms in 

 central and southern Wisconsin, including the Lake Michigan drainage. 



GENUS Schilbeodes Bleeker madtoms 



The madtoms are small, tadpolelike catfishes having subcylindrical 

 bodies with more or less broad heads. All the members of the genus 

 Schilbeodes can be readily distinguished from the bullheads of the 

 genus Ameiurus by the character of the adipose fin, which is continuous 

 with the caudal. They can be distinguished from the genus Noturus 

 by the absence of the backward lateral extensions of the band of teeth 

 on the premaxillary. As in the preceding genus, there is a poison gland 

 beneath the epidermis surrounding the base of the pectoral spine. There 

 are a number of species in this genus, all of which occur east of the 

 Rocky Mountains. 



TADPOLE MADTOM 



Schilbeodes mollis (Hermann) 



The body of the tadpole madtom (Figure 29) is robust, short, and 

 deep; it is deepest just in front of the dorsal fin. The color is purplish 



