CATFISH GENIJS NOTURUS RAFINESQUE 23 



Key to the Subgenera of Noturus 



1. Pectoral spine usually curved, scimitar-like, with both anterior and posterior 



serrae; anterior serrae small, numerous, sometimes barely visible; posterior 

 serrae larger and their tips (except 1 to 3 near spine base) uniformly re- 

 curved toward spine base; color pattern usually of dark blotches or saddles 

 on back, over lighter background; ossified pectoral radials typically fused; 

 premaxillary tooth patch rectangular with posterior corners rounded or 



obtusely angulate Subgenus Rabida 



Pectoral spine nearly straight to moderately curved, without anterior serrae; 

 anterior edge of spine often with recurved hooks or step-like processes; 

 posterior edge of spine smooth or with serrae which are not regularly 

 turned toward spine base; color pattern typically dark, without prominent 

 darker blotches or saddles on body 2 



2. Premaxillary tooth patch rectangular with distinct, long, usually narrow, 



projections from the posterior corners; ossified pectoral radials never fused. 



Subgenus Noturus 

 Premaxillary tooth patch rectangular, with posterior corners rounded or 

 acute to obtusely angulate; ossified pectoral radials typically fused. 



Subgenus Schilbeodes 



History 



The early naturalists first discovered members of the genus Noturus 

 in the fresh waters of North America about 1817. Within three years, 

 three of the common species, Silurus gyrinus Mitchill, Noturus jiavus 

 Rafinesque, and "Pimelodon livree" LeSueur [= Noturus insignis 

 (Richardson)] had been recognized and partially described. LeSueur, 

 however, applied a vernacular name to his fish. At this time, also, 

 Rafinesque proposed the generic name Noturus for Jiavus. 



During the next 40 years no new species were recognized but two 

 new names were based on the description by LeSueur. There was 

 considerable speculation at this time as to whether the description of 

 Noturus jiavus was based on a young or adult specimen since a contin- 

 uous adipose fin was regarded as a character of larvae or young 

 individuals. 



Bleeker (1858), believing that Mitchill's Silurus gyrinus lacked an 

 adipose fin proposed the generic name Schilbeodes for this species. He 

 later placed Schilbeodes in the synonymy of Noturus when informed 

 by Gill that all of the North American catfishes have an adipose fin. 



The common name stonecat, sometimes used for all species of 

 Noturus, stems from Baird (1860, pp. 420-421) who wrote: "The 

 genus Noturus, known provincially as Stone-Cat-fish embraces few 

 species, . . ." The species on which this name was based or the 

 locality of origin was not given. Bau-d had collected Noturus gyrinus, 

 Noturus exUis, and Noturus insignis by this time. Of these, it is most 

 likely that the name was based on the specimens of N. insignis from 

 CarUsle, Pennsylvania, which became the types of Noturus marginatus. 



