22 THE FISHES OF OHIO. 



Series: TelEOSTEi. 



Order: NEMATOGNATHI. 



Family: Sieurid.E (The Catfishes). 

 Key to Genera. 



A. Adipose fin, with its posterior margin free. 



B. Premaxillary band of teeth truncate behind ; not produced backward at the 

 outer angles. 

 C. Supraoccipital bone continued backward from the nape, its notched tip 

 receiving the bone at base of dorsal spine, so that a continuous bony- 

 bridge is formed under the skin ; caudal fin forked. — Ictalurtjs. 

 CC. Supraoccipital not reaching as far as dorsal fin, the bony bridge more or 

 less incomplete. — Ameiurus. 



BB. Premaxillary band of teeth with a lateral backward extension on each side ; 

 lower jaw projecting. — Leptops. 



AA. Adipose fin keel-like, adnate to the back. 



B. Band of teeth in upper jaw, with a backward extension at its outer posterior 



angle as in Leptops. — Noturtjs. 



BB. Band of teeth in upper jaw without backward extension, as in Ameiurus. — 



SCHILBEODES. 



Genus : Ictalurus. 

 Key to Species. 



A. Anal fin very long, its rays 32 to 35. — furcatus. 



AA. Anal fin shorter, its rays about 26. — punctatus. 



Ictalurus furcatus (Le Sueur). Chuckle-headed Cat. 



Head 4^ ; depth 4 in adults to 5^ in young. Anal fin long, of 32 to 35 

 rays. Eye small, wholly anterior, the middle of the head being fcehind its 

 posterior margin. Humeral spine not reaching middle of pectoral spine. 

 Color silvery, sometimes spotted with darker. Sometimes reaching a weight 

 of over 40 pounds. 



"I have seen one or two specimens taken at Cincinnati," 

 Jordan; "common in the Ohio river," Henshall, 1888. Not 

 recorded elsewhere in the State. 



Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque). Channel Cat; Blue Cat; 



White Cat ; Lady Cat. 

 Head 4 ; depth 5 ; anal fin of 25 to 30 rays, usually 27 in Ohio speci- 

 mens. Eye large, the middle point of the length of the head being near its 

 posterior margin. Barbels long, those of the maxillary reaching beyond 

 gill opening. Humeral process long, more than l /> the length of pectoral 

 spine. Color light olivaceous, becoming silvery or pale 011 sides and belly ; 

 the sides usually with distinct round, dark spots, these becoming less dis- 

 tinct with age. Young specimens usually have a gaunt, faded-out, "con- 

 sumptive" look. It reaches a weight of about 25 pounds. 



