Noturus leptacanthus
Jordan 1877
Family Ictaluridae

Lateral view of a speckled madtom
The speckled madtom pictured above was collected in Union County, Florida in 2016. This fish is now part of the Florida Museum ichthyology collection, UF 238471. Florida Museum photo by Zachary Randall

The speckled madtom is a member of the North American catfish family. This species is slender, light brown and covered with conspicuous black specks. It has a straight-edged or slightly rounded caudal fin. Speckled madtoms can be found in gravelly and sandy runs and riffles of creeks, and in small to medium rivers. They’re often found near vegetation or woody debris

Status & distribution

  • Status — Native freshwater
  • Florida Distribution — Western and North Central and Peninsula drainages
  • River Drainages — Perdido River, Escambia River, Blackwater River, Yellow River, Choctawhatchee River, Econfina Creek, Apalachicola River, Ochlockonee River, minor Gulf tributaries, Suwannee River, St. John’s River and the St. Mary’s River
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