Overview
The Yellow Bullhead ranges in color from olive to brown to almost black dorsally, with a yellow or white belly. Its sides are yellow or brown that are never mottled as they often are in the Brown Bullhead (A. nebulosus). Juveniles usually have dark brown to jet black bodies. It is the only bullhead in which the chin barbels are yellow, buff, or pale pink instead of dark in color. The upper barbels are brown. The tail is rounded, which helps to distinguish the Yellow Bullhead from the brown and black bullheads (A. melas), which have truncate or slightly emarginate tails. A better distinction between the Yellow and Black Bullheads is the spine at the top of the pectoral fins. In the Yellow Bullhead, as in the brown, this spine has sharp, tooth like serrations along the back edge. In the Black Bullhead it is either not serrated at all or only very weakly serrated.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Perciformes
- Family
- Ictaluridae
- Genus
- Ameiurus
- Species
- natalis
Habitat
Occurs natively throughout most of the eastern and central U.S.A. (both sides of the Appalachians). In the southern portion of its range, the yellow bullhead extends further west (western Texas) than the brown bullhead (Alabama), and tends to occur in smaller, weedier and shallower waters. Like the other bullheads it has also been introduced outside its native range.
Diet
Like the black bullhead, the yellow bullhead is omnivorous, feeding on a variety of plant and animal material, both live and dead. Immature aquatic insects and crustaceans often comprise a considerable proportion of the diet.
Behavior
During late spring or early summer, yellow bullheads excavate nests in mud bottoms and spawn. Both parents guard the nest, which may contain 2,000 to 12,000 eggs. In four to six days eggs hatch and fry begin to school in compact balls which are guarded by adults until individuals reach about one inch in length.
Fishing
Like black bullheads, yellow bullheads are not generally considered an important gamefish in Texas. Yellow bullheads are considered a minor game fish, and they are sought after for food. Angling techniques for the two species are very similar. The flesh of this small catfish is whiter than that of the brown bullhead, rather cream colored, and of excellent quality.
Conservation Status
Listed as Least Concern by IUCN.