Ameiurus natalis
(Lesueur 1819)
Family Ictaluridae

Lateral view of a yellow bullhead
The yellow bullhead pictured above was collected in Alachua County, Florida in 2015. It is now part of the Florida Museum ichthyology collection, UF 238034. Florida Museum photo by Zachary Randall

The yellow bullhead is a member of the North American catfish family. It has white or yellow chin barbels, and between 24 and 27 rays with a typically has a straight edge. This species has dusky black fins. Yellow bullheads can inhabit pools and backwaters, and the runs of creeks and small to large rivers. They’re common in lakes, oxbows, ponds and impoundments.

Status & distribution

  • Status — Native freshwater
  • Florida Distribution — Western and North Central and Peninsula drainages
  • River Drainages — Choctawhatchee River, Econfina Creek, Apalachicola River, Ochlockonee River, minor Gulf tributaties, Suwannee River, Withlacoochee River, Tampa Bay, the Myakka or Peace River, Lake Okeechobee, Caloosahatchee River, the Everglades, Indian River, the Tolomato or Matanzas River, St. John’s River and the St. Mary’s River
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