88 VERTEBRATE ANIMALS OF THE UNITED STATES 



a transverse band (Fig. 41) : numerous species, all in America except 

 A. cantonensis, in China. 



A. erebennus Jordan. Body elongate; length 300 mm.; head and 

 depth 4; color black above, pale below; fins and barbels black; tail 

 truncated: coastwise waters from New Jersey to Florida; rare. 



A. natalis (LeSueur). Yellow cat. Length 450 mm.; head 3.5; 

 color yellowish, clouded with darker; caudal fin truncated; body 

 stout; mouth wide: from Great Lakes region southwards into Virginia 

 and Texas; very common. 



c d 



Fig. 41. — Premaxillary teeth of: a, Ameiurus melas; b, Schilbeodes gyrinus; c, Opladelus 

 olivaris, and d, Notiirus flavus {from Fishes of Illinois). 



A. nehulosus (LeSueur). Common bullhead; horned pout. Length 

 up to 450 mm.; head 3.8; depth 4 to 4.5; color dark yellowish brown, 

 mottled with darker; anal fin with 21 or 22 rays and extending about a 

 quarter the length of the body; upper jaw longer than the lower: 

 Maine to North Dakota; southward to Virginia and Texas; introduced 

 into California; very common. 



Subspecies of A . nebulosiis 



A. n. catulus (Girard). Color nearly black: Texas; common. 



A. n. marmoratus (Holbrook). Color strongly marked: Indiana 

 to Florida. 



A. melas (Raf.) (Fig. 41, a). Black bullhead. Length 250 mm.; 

 depth 3.5 to 4.5; color blackish; body stout; anal fin very deep, with 

 17 to 19 white rays: northern New York to Nebraska; southward 

 to Kentucky and Texas; common, especially westward of the Mississippi. 



A. platycephalus (Gir.). Brown cat. Length 450 mm.; head 

 3.5; color olive brown; body very slender; head flat and broad; upper 

 jaw projecting; anal fin with 16 to 20 rays: Carolina and Georgia; 

 common. 



