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Ictalurus melas (Rafinesque, 1820) and I. nebulosus (Lesueur, 1819): the North American catfishes in Europe
Author(s) -
Wheeler Alwyne
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1978.tb04186.x
Subject(s) - ictalurus , catfish , biology , fishery , ictaluridae , mainland , fish <actinopterygii> , zoology , ecology
The greater part of the literature on European fishes reports the widespread occurrence of an introduced North American catfish and identifies it as Ictalurus nebulosus. Study of the literature reporting critical determinations and of specimens from Europe and Great Britain reveals the presence of two species, I nebulosus and I melas. These fishes are widely used in experimental studies, usually being obtained through aquarium‐fish dealers indirectly from continental Europe. Mostly they are incorrectly identified as I nebulosus. There is reason to believe that I melas is the more commonly imported catfish in Britain; both species occur feral in mainland Europe.