the greater short-horned lizard ( phrynosoma hernandesi ) , also commonly known as the mountain short-horned lizard , is a species of lizard endemic to western north america .

like other horned lizards , it is often wrongly called a " horned toad " or " horny toad " , but it is not a toad at all .

it is a reptile , not an amphibian .

it is one of seven native species of lizards in canada .

greater short - horned lizard

greater short - horned lizard , santa rita mtns , az . photo by jim rorabaugh
greater short - horned lizard , rancho los fresnos , sonora . photo by jim rorabaugh
hodges , w . l . 2009 . greater short - horned lizard . pages 178–181
greater short - horned lizard , rancho los fresnos , sonora . photo by jim rorabaugh .
hatchling greater short - horned lizard , sierra la purica , sonora . photo by jim rorabaugh .
greater short horned lizard - bighorn canyon national recreation area ( u . s . national park service )
no information currently exists regarding the migration patterns of greater short - horned lizards in montana .
short spines on head , body , and tail relative to texas horned lizard .
colorado parks and wildlife . short - horned lizard . natural diversity information source .
greater short - horned lizards have a surprising self - defense mechanism . they shoot their own blood at their enemies !
the gulf coast horned lizard ( phrynosoma wigginsi ) is a horned lizard species native to baja california , mexico .
murray , ian w . and hilary m . lease . 2013 . phrynosoma hernandesi ( greater short - horned lizard ) predation . herpetological review 44 ( 2 ) : 327
short - horned lizard - bryce canyon national park ( u . s . national park service )
martin , d . 2006 . the blood - squirting short - horned lizard . pages 35 - 37
cairns , k . a . , babineau , j . & cairns , n . a . 2017 . phrynosoma hernandesi ( greater short - horned lizard ) . herpetological review 48 ( 4 ) : 853
activist spotlight - kade wilson and the
horny toad
texas horned lizard . | environmental stuff | pinterest | horned lizard , toad and lizards
short - horned lizard adults weigh less than a quarter . a yearling is about the weight of a dime .
moll , e . o . 2004 . patronyms of the pioneer west . ix . phrynosoma hernandesi ( girard , 1858 ) greater short - horned lizard . sonoran herpetologist 17 ( 6 ) : 58 - 61 .
moll , e . o . 2004 . phrynosoma hernandesi ( girard , 1858 ) greater short - horned lizard . patronyms of the pioneer west . sonoran herpetologist 17 ( 6 ) : 58 - 61 . - get paper here
horned lizard bowl , indicated subtly on the top of the skull between the eyes .
there is nothing cuter than a tiny baby horned lizard . nothing , i say !
milner , b . j . 1979 . northern short - horned lizard in southeastern alberta . alberta naturalist 9 : 90 - 92 .
adult female short - horned lizard being consumed by plains hog - nosed snake , weld county , colorado . note the lizard is inflated to hinder consumption . photo : amy yackel adams .
adams , a . a . y . , r . d . adams , s . k . skagen and d . j . martin 2016 . phrynosoma hernandesi ( greater short - horned lizard ) commensalism . herpetological review 47 ( 3 ) : 467 .
short - horned lizards will shoot blood from their eyes when threatened by a predator .
what they eat : short - horned lizards eat ants , beetles and small pebbles .
powell , g . l . 1980 . diet of the short - horned lizard in alberta . american zoologist 20 ( 4 ) : 842 .
goldberg , s . r . 1971 . reproduction in the short - horned lizard , phrynosoma douglassi in arizona . herpetologica 27 : 311 - 314 .
the greater short - horned lizard in the next five shots is apparently of the subspecies known as hernandez ' s short - horned lizard ( p . h . hernandesi ) . this individual was on the brett gray ranch , a nature conservancy property , in lincoln co . , colorado , in july , 2011 . these shots were taken with a canon eos 1d mark iv and a sigma 50 - 500mm lens and canon 580 flash .
guyer , c . 2006 . phrynosoma douglasii ( pigmy short - horned lizard ) copulatory position . herpetological review 37 ( 1 ) : 91 - 92 .
taylor , b . n . 2003 . short - horned lizard ( phrynosoma hernandesi hernandesi ) . alberta species at risk report 72 : 154 - 160 .
the short - horned lizard is often referred to as a “horned toad” or “horny toad” because its squat , flattened shape and short , blunt snout give it a toad - ish look . there are over a dozen recognized horned - lizard species found in the deserts and semi - arid environments of north and central america , from southern canada to guatemala .
they are the only species of horned toads that give birth to the young live . other species of horned lizards lay eggs . in the short - horned lizard , the eggs are retained within the mother until the live young are born .
click the range map to learn more about the distribution of short - horned lizards in washington .
goldberg , s . r . 1971 . reproduction in the short - horned lizard phrynosoma douglassi in arizona . herpetologica 27 ( 3 ) : 311 - 314 .
the short - horned lizard is a one - reptile wrecking crew with a bizarre self - defense strategy . when defending its own life , this lizard squirts blood from the thin blood vessels around its eyes that rupture under pressure .
montanucci , r . r . 1984 . breeding , captive care and longevity of the short - horned lizard phrynosoma douglassi . international zoological yearbook 23 : 148 - 156 .
i’m currently making horned lizard bowls representing two species , both native to arizona and other parts of the southwest : short - horned lizards and regal horned lizards . you can tell them apart by their horn configuration : regals have an even corona of ten longish horns on the back of their skull , and short - horns have 6 very short horns divided by a deep notch .
what they look like : short - horned lizards are small , flat , round lizards that have short , stubby horns . the
horns
are actually a crown of short pointed scales on the back of the head .
linder , a . d . 1989 . short - horned lizard phrynosoma douglassi . rare , sensitive , and threatened species of the greater yellowstone ecosystem . tim w . clark , ann h . harvey , robert d . dorn , david l . genter , and craig groves , editors . pp . 50 - 51 .
laird , m . and r . leech . 1980 . observations on the short - horned lizard in southeastern alberta . blue jay 38 ( 4 ) : 214 - 218 .
short - horned lizards emerge from hibernation from late march into june . mating occurs soon after the emerge .
with a valid arizona hunting license , four greater short - horned lizards can be collected per year or held in possession , alive or dead , although collection is prohibited in protected areas such as national park service units without special permits . it is a species of least concern on the 2014 iucn red list . in the 100 - mile circle , the forested montane habitats of this lizard are vulnerable to the effects of climate change and wildfire . most of the higher mountain ranges in southeastern arizona where this species occurs have experienced extensive stand - replacing wildfires in the last three decades , although the effects of these fires on the greater short - horned lizard have not been studied .
description : short - horned lizards are small , flat , round lizards that have short , stubby horns . the
horns
are actually a crown of short pointed scales on the back of the head . like other horned lizards , they have a series of pointed scales along the edge of the body . the short tail is thin and pointed .
corn , p . s . and l . j . gingerich . 1987 . phrynosoma douglassii brevirostre ( eastern short - horned lizard ) . herpetological review 18 ( 1 ) : 20 .
powell , g . l . , a . p . russell , and p . fargey . in prep . the distribution of the eastern short - horned lizard in saskatchewan , canada .
they are the only species of horned toads that give birth to the young live . other species of horned lizards lay eggs . in the short - horned lizard the eggs are retained within the mother until live young are born about two months later ( august to mid - september ) .
guyer , c . and a . d . linder . 1985a . growth and population structure of the short - horned lizard ( phrynosoma douglassi ) and the sagebrush lizard ( sceloporus graciosus ) in southeastern idaho . northwest science 59 ( 4 ) : 294 - 303 .
ashton , k . g . and k . l . ashton . 1998 . phrynosoma douglasii ( short - horned lizard ) . reproduction . herpetological review 29 ( 3 ) : 168 - 169 .
sherbrooke , w . c . and m . d . greenfield . 2002 . phrynosoma hernandesi ( short - horned lizard ) . defensive hiss . herpetological review 33 ( 3 ) : 208 - 209 .
sherbrooke , w . c . and f . mendoza - quijano . 2001 . phrynosoma braconnieri ( short - tailed horned lizard ) . defensive behavior . herpetological review 36 ( 1 ) : 65 - 66 .
guyer , c . and a . d . linder . 1985b . thermal ecology and activity patterns of the short - horned lizard ( phrynosoma douglassi ) and the sagebrush lizard ( sceloporus graciosus ) in southeastern idaho ( usa ) . great basin naturalist 45 ( 4 ) : 607 - 614 .
pack , h . j . 1918 . some habits of the pygmy horned lizard . copeia 1918 ( 63 ) : 91 - 92 .
schowalter , d . b . 1976 . new distribution records of the horned lizard in alberta . blue jay 37 : 26 - 27 .
powell , g . l . 1982 . the eastern short - horned lizard in alberta : basic field ecology of northern marginal populations . unpublished m . s . thesis , university of calgary , calgary , alberta .
montanucci , r . r . , and b . e . baur . 1982 . mating and courtship behaviors of the short - horned lizard , phrynosoma douglassi . copeia 1982 ( 4 ) : 971 - 974 .
montanucci , r . r . and b . e . baur . 1982 . mating and courtship - related behaviors of the short - horned lizard , phrynosoma douglassi . copeia 1982 ( 4 ) : 971 - 974 .
reeve , w . l . 1952 . taxonomy and distribution of the horned lizard genus phrynosoma . kansas university science bulletin 34 : 817 - 960 .
lahti , m . e . , and d . d . beck . 2007 . ecology and ontogenetic variation of diet in the pigmy short - horned lizard ( phrynosoma douglasii ) . american midland naturalist 159 : 327 - 339 .
new , e . r . 1991 . drilling in short - horned lizard country . abstract presented at the cade / caodc spring drilling conference , april 10 - 12 , 1991 . cade / caodc conference publications , calgary , ab .
powell , g . l . and a . p . russell . 1985 . field thermal ecology of the eastern short - horned lizard ( phrynosoma douglassi brevirostre ) in southeastern alberta . canadian journal of zoology 63 : 228 - 238 .
like other horned lizards , they have a series of pointed scales along the edge of the body . the short tail is thin and pointed .
powell , g . l . and a . p . russell . 1993a . the range and status of the eastern short - horned lizard in the canadian prairies . provincial museum of alberta natural history occassional paper 19 : 279 - 290 .
powell , g . l . , a . p . russell , and p . j . fargey . 1998 . the distribution of the short - horned lizard phrynosoma hernandesi in saskatchewan , canada . northwestern naturalist 79 : 19 - 26 .
hammerson , g . a . and h . m . smith . 1991 . the correct spelling of the name of the short - horned lizard of north america . bulletin of the maryland herpetological society 27 ( 3 ) : 121 - 127 .
powell , g . l . and a . p . russell . 1992b . the staus of the short - horned lizard ( phrynosoma douglassii ) in canada . committee on the status of endangered wildlife in canada , ottawa , on . 22pp .
powell , g . l . , and a . p . russell . 1991 . distribution of the eastern short - horned lizard ( phrynosoma douglasi brevirostre ) in alberta , canada . northwestern naturalist . 72 ( 1 ) : 21 - 26 .
short - horned lizards give birth to 7 - 10 babies . the newborn are very small - measuring about 25 mm ( 1 inch ) long .
sherbrooke , w . c . , e . r . brown , and j . l . brown . 2002 . phrynosoma hernandesi ( short - horned lizard ) . successful open - mouthed threat defense . herpetological review 33 ( 3 ) : 208 .
greater short - horned - lizards are lizards that look a bit like toads . in fact , they are frequently referred to as “ horny toads “ . of course , they are not toads , which are amphibians , they are in fact , lizards . they are a member of the genus phrynosoma ( which means “toad - bodied” ) of which there are 15 species .
i contacted you some time ago about a horned toad bowl . i am now ready to purchase one of the short - horned with babies . i am looking for a smaller one . do you currently have any available ?
over recent decades short - horn lizard populations have been in decline throughout their range . destruction of their native habitat , efforts to eradicate ants—their staple food—and the pet trade have all contributed to this .
powell , g . l . and a . p . russell . 1985 . growth and sexual size dimorphism in alberta ( canada ) populations of the eastern short - horned lizard , phrynosoma douglassi brevirostre . canadian journal of zoology 63 ( 1 ) : 139 - 154 .
both eat ants , so i depict harvester ants in their bellies . the short - horned is a live - bearer , so some have young lizards shown inside .
powell , g . l . and a . p . russell . 1984 . the diet of the eastern short - horned lizard ( phrynosoma douglassi brevirostre ) in alberta and its relationship to sexual size dimorphism . canadian journal of zoology 62 ( 3 ) : 428 - 440 .
extreme southern alberta , canada , to southern durango , mexico ; western nebraska ( few historical records from western kansas ) to southeastern oregon . widest geographic distribution of any horned lizard .
hornbeck , g . e . and j . e . green . 1990 . a reconnaissance field survey of the eastern short - horned lizard and its habitat in samedan manyberries 9 - 13 - 4 - 5 w4m . delta environmental management group ltd . calgary , ab . 27pp .
diet : short - horned lizards are insectivores . they eat ants , beetles and small pebbles . neonates prefer ants , yearlings like beetles and adults eat both ants and beetles .
mathies , t . , and d . j . martin . 2008 . overwintering site selection by short - horned lizards in northeastern colorado . journal of herpetology 42 : 163–171 .
hornbeck , g . e . and j . e . green . 1991 . year two of a reconnaissance field survey of the eastern short - horned lizard and its habitat in samedan manyberries 9 - 13 - 4 - 5 w4m . delta environmental management group ltd . calgary , ab . 17pp .
behavior : these lizards are often highly sessile , sit - and - wait predators that feed almost exclusively on ants . crypsis is the primary form of defense of this species , but spines and inflating behaviors can prevent them from being consumed by predators . additionally , greater short - horned lizards possess the ability to shoot blood from the ocular sinus ( next to the eye ) to deter predators such as coyotes , foxes , and dogs .
powell , g . l . and a . p . russell . 1992a . a preliminary survey of the distribution and abundance of the eastern short - horned lizard ( phrynosoma douglassii brevirostre ) in alberta . a report submitted to the recreation , parks , and wildlife foundation , edmonton , alberta . 135pp .
where they live : short - horned lizards live throughout the columbia basin and the cascades foothills in a variety of habitats including sagebrush plains , short - grass prairies and open pine forests . always found near patches of loose soil or sand for burrowing . this species is found near ant hills .
habitat and territory the greater short - horned lizard can be found in a variety of habitats including semiarid plains , shortgrass prairies , sagebrush deserts , shrubby plateaus , juniper , pine or fir forests , and up into the mountains , such as the pryor mountains . they are more tolerant of cooler temperatures than most other reptiles , often emerging from hibernation in april and returning to their dens in october . they range from most of montana , wyoming and colorado except for the highest elevations above 10 , 000 feet or so and extend down through much of utah , arizona and new mexico .
behavior : they are normally active between 60 - 80 degrees f . during hot weather , short - horned lizards are most active during the morning hours , with less activity in the afternoon .
james j . d . , a . p . russell , and g . l . powell . 1997 . status of the eastern short - horned lizard ( phrynosoma douglassii brevirostre ) in alberta . alberta environmental protection , wildlife management divison , wildlife status report no . 5 , edmonton , ab . 1 - 20 .
smith , w . 1993 . an assessment of short - horned lizard habitat and use . manyberries badlands , alberta . a report submitted to the fish and wildlife branch , alberta forestry , lands and wildlife , 7th floor , o . s . longman building , 6909 - 116th st . , edmonton , alberta t6h 4p2 .
lahti , m . the status of dwarfed populations of short - horned lizards and great plains toads in the san luis valley , colorado . 2010 . dissertation , utah state university . 201 pp .
manaster , jane , horned lizards , 1997 : university of texas press , austin .
powell , g . l . , a . p . russell . 1998 . the status of short - horned lizards , phrynosoma hernandesi in saskatchewan , canada . northwestern naturalist 79 : 19 - 26 .
this species is an invertivore . the diet of greater short - horned lizards includes mostly ants and beetles , as well as other insects , spiders , snails , sowbugs , and other invertebrates . individuals may sometimes gorge themselves on a single type of prey ( hammerson 1999 ) . the diet in montana is virtually undescribed ; stomach contents of three individuals from coulees near the marias river in toole county included mostly ants with a few beetles , grasshoppers , and spiders ( mosimann and rabb 1952 ) .
short - horned lizards range throughout short and mixed - grass prairies , pinõn - juniper , sagebrush , open conifer woodland , and mountain shrubland . they can be found at elevations up to around 3 , 353 m ( 11 , 000 ft ) , in sandy or otherwise well - drained soils and usually in areas with sparse vegetation .
short - horned lizards are primarily diurnal from april to september . they are not active when hibernating between october and march ( see mathies & martin 2009 for more information on hibernation site selection in weld county ) .
roger repp was making us all look bad when he found this young horned lizard after previously finding the first and second snakes on this hike . there were five other people out looking for interesting herps at the same time , jeez .
short - horned lizards can be found throughout much of the eastern plains , front range , san luis valley , and west slope ( after hammerson 1999 , shipley & reading 2006 , and colorado parks & wildlife ) .
they prefer soft , sandy soils , near rocks where they can blend in with the background . short - horned lizards can quickly burrow into loose soil to hide . they use their small claws for digging and climbing .
adults can handle cold and partially freeze . they are normally active between 60 - 80 degrees f . during hot weather , short - horned lizards are most active during the morning hours , with less activity in the afternoon . they prefer soft , sandy soils , near rocks where they can blend in with the background . short - horned lizards can quickly burrow into loose soil to hide . they use their small claws for digging and climbing .
common name : short - horned lizard scientific name : phrynosoma douglassi size ( length ) english & metric : 2 ½ - 5 7 / 8
( 6 . 3 - 14 . 9cm ) habitat : from rocky or sandy plains to forested areas . diet : insects ( primarily ants ) predators : coyotes , foxes , hawks , ravens , large snakes and lizards
herpetologists currently recognize 13 species of horned lizards , 8 in the us and 5 in mexico .
primarily insectivorous . in weld county , short - horned lizards are known to feed on a variety of ant and beetle species , ground - dwelling bees , true bugs ( hemiptera ) , and other arthropods ( d . martin ,
mountain short - horned lizards can be found throughout the summer both above and below the rim . they blend in so well to their natural surroundings , that you have to look close or you might not see them at all .
account compiled by : danny martin and tom mathies reviewed by : ben fisher ( text ) and lauren livo ( map ) last updated : 23 mar . 2014 by d . martin suggested citation colorado partners in amphibian and reptile conservation . 2013 . species account for short - horned lizard ( phrynosoma hernandesi ) . compiled by danny martin and tom mathies . urltoken [ accessed date here ] .
eric pianka and wendy hodge ' s excellent article on horned lizards , from the university of texas .
) . similar to other horned lizards , this species is a sit - and - wait predator .
powell , g . l . and a . p . russell . 1991b . parturition and clutch characteristics of short - horned lizards ( phrynosoma douglassii brevirostre ) from alberta . canadian journal of zoology 69 ( 11 ) : 2759 - 2764 .
lahti , m . e . 2010 . the status of dwarfed populations of short - horned lizards ( phrynosoma hernandesi ) and great plains toads ( anaxyrus cognatus ) in the san luis valley , colorado . dissertation , utah state university , logan .
powell , g . l . and a . p . russell . 1994b . movement , thermal ecology , seasonal activity , and overwintering behavior in an alberta population of the eastern short - horned lizard ( phrynosoma douglassii brevirostre ) . a report submitted to alberta environmental protection , fish and wildlife division , 7th floor , o . s . longman building , 6909 - 116th st . , edmonton , alberta t6h 4p2
powell , g . l . and a . p . russell . 1998 . the status of short - horned lizards ( phrynosoma douglasi ) and ( p . hernandezi ) in canada . canadian field naturalist 112 ( 1 ) : 1 - 16 .
zamudio , k . r . , k . b . jones , and r . h . ward . 1997 . molecular systematics of short - horned lizards : biogeography and taxonomy of a widespread species complex . systematic biology 46 : 284 - 305 .
( 1996 ) list maximum size in new mexico as 83 mm svl for males and 98 mm svl for females . short - horned lizards in the san luis valley are known to be smaller than those outside the valley ( see lahti 2010 ) .
powell , g . l . and a . p . russell . 1993b . a radiotelemetric study of movement and thermal ecology in an alberta population of the eastern short - horned lizard ( phrynosoma douglassii brevirostre ) . a report submitted to the fish and wildlife branch , alberta forestry , lands and wildlife , 7th floor , o . s . longman building , 6909 - 116th st . , edmonton , alberta t6h 4p2 .
powell , g . l . and a . p . russell . 1994a . a radiotelemetric study of movement , thermal ecology , and hibernation site selection in an alberta population of the eastern short - horned lizard ( phrynosoma douglassii brevirostre ) . a report submitted to alberta environmental protection , fish and wildlife division , 7th floor , o . s . longman building , 6909 - 116th st . , edmonton , alberta t6h 4p2 .
the body of the greater short - horned lizard is broad and flattened . the back is spiny , with an especially noticeable single row of scales fringing each side of the body . the spines at the back of the head are about as long as they are wide at the base . the coloration of the back usually blends cryptically with the soil and can vary somewhat from region to region and at single localities . the maximum total length is about 15 centimeters . in males , there is a swelling at the base of the tail , and the tail is proportionally longer than in females . newborn young have the broad and flattened body shape , and are about 2 . 0 to 2 . 5 centimeters snout - vent length and up to 3 . 8 centimeters by the time of first hibernation .
flat , wide body , and a tail of moderate length . it has a relatively broad head for a horned lizard , the back of which is armed with short horns separated by a deep and relatively wide notch in which the notch between the occipital ( central ) horns is wider than the length of either horn . the two occipital horns are very short and do not extend back as far as the temporal horns on each side . the ventral scales are smooth and sharply pointed at the rear . one row of enlarged fringed scales lies at the margin of the abdomen and dorsum .
powell , g . l . and a . p . russell . 1996b . short - horned lizards ( phrynosoma douglassii brevirostre ) in grasslands national park : a report on the 1995 field season . unpublished report , parks canada , val marie , sk . 74pp .
zamudio , kelly r . , jones , k . bruce & ward , ryk h . 1997 . molecular systematics of short - horned lizards : biogeography and taxonomy of a widespread species complex . systematic biology 46 ( 2 ) : 284 - 305 - get paper here
chandler , j . d . 1965 . horned toad record . the blue jay 23 ( 2 ) : 92 .
you can download a printable pdf with 8 different species of horned lizards found in the u . s . here .
photos above used by permission of wade sherbrooke from his book ,
introduction to horned lizards of north america
.
despite their spiky features , short - horned lizards are preyed upon by a number of creatures , including hawks , roadrunners , snakes , lizards , dogs , wolves , and coyotes . consequently , beyond their natural camouflage , they have adapted a pair of remarkable talents . in order to ward off hungry predators , short - horned lizards are capable of inflating their bodies up to twice their size , resembling a spiny balloon . and if this proves insufficient , some species employ one of the animal kingdom’s most bizarre defensive mechanisms : they shoot blood from their eyes .
i was somewhat puzzled by the near - complete - absence of reptiles we saw on this pleasant may morning . it was a little too cool to expect many lizards , but i did expect at least a few . instead , an hour and a half of scenic beauty passed by with nary a lizard or snake to be seen . fortunately , the herping day was saved by this cute little guy . any day with a horned lizard in it is a good day , after all .
habitat : these lizards can be found in a variety of habitats including short - grass prairies , sagebrush , and open forests . loose soils are necessary for thermoregulation .
sherbroke , w . c . 2003 . introduction to horned lizards of north america . university of california press , berkeley .
we were passing through southern utah on our big summer trip , so we made sure to stop at beautiful navajo lake so i could visit my horned lizard friends . the first afternoon we were there i searched for an hour or so and had almost given up when i discovered this saurian marvel . what a face !
zamudio , k . r . 1996 . ecological , evolutionary , and applied aspects of lizard life histories . ph . d . dissertation . university of washington , seattle , wa . 167 p .
nero , r . w . 1957 . records of the horned toad in saskatchewan . blue jay 15 : 119 - 120 .
horned lizards favor ants , especially of the genus pogonomyrmex , harvester ants , which comprise a generous portion of their food intake .
sherbrooke , w . c . , e . beltran - sanchez , f . mendoza - quijano , b . baur , and g . a . middendorf , iii . 2004 . is there an antipredator blood - squirting defense in the bull horned lizard , phrynosoma taurus ? herpetological review 35 ( 4 ) : 345 - 347 .
sherbrooke , wade c . 2003 . introduction to horned lizards of north america . university of california press , berkeley , 178 pp .
general description : small ( 6 to 16 cm ) dorso - ventrally compressed lizard with sharp spines on their body . most other horned lizards have large , conspicuous spines along the head , but spines in this species are greatly reduced . limbs and tails are relatively short and lateral spines are present along the lateral edge of the body . dorsal coloration is variable ranging from gray to shades of brown with small flecks of white , red , or yellow interspersed . six to eight larger dark blotches are often present on the dorsum .
( state secure ) . general threats to conservation include habitat loss and fragmentation , and vehicle traffic on and off road . this species is also vulnerable to illegal collection . if you find yourself with a horned lizard ( e . g . , your child brings one home ) , and you cannot immediately return it to the location of collection , please contact
desert horned lizard ( phrynosoma platyrhinos ) desert horned lizards have a widespread range from oregon and idaho , south through utah , nevada , western arizona , southern california and into northeastern baja and northwestern sonora , mexico . they occur at elevations from below sea level to about 6 , 600 feet throughout the great basin , mojave , and sonorandeserts . the species can be found nearwoody shrubs , cacti , rocks and yuccas in alluvial fans , flats , washes , and valleys . phrynosoma platyrhinos has two long central horns and shorter side horns . desert horned lizards have a single row of abdominal fringe scales and a smooth back with a few scattered , larger spines .
their bodies are kinda chubby with short legs . they generally are a greyish , yellowish , or red - brownish color and have rows of pointed scales along its sides ( see pic above ) .
these are small and light weight animals . large adults can be about 10 cm ( 4 inches ) long , but many specimens are smaller . an adult lizard can easily fit in the palm of a child ' s hand .
of the many varieties of lizard in the family phrynosomatidae , only a few have a unique adaption not seen in any other species in response to predators . they shoot a stream of blood at their enemies , from their eyes !
hubbard , kaylan a ; anna d chalfoun , and kenneth g gerow 2016 . the relative influence of road characteristics and habitat on adjacent lizard populations in arid shrublands journal of herpetology 50 ( 1 ) : 29 - 36 . - get paper here
this tiny horned lizard shows again how well these lizards adapt to match the local colors . we never would have seen this little tyke except that we had stopped for awhile to coax a nightsnake into posing for some pictures . while my friend john mccaffrey and i were wrangling the little snake , brenda mccaffrey noticed one of the rocks moving , only to realize that it wasn ' t really a rock .
this is the only species of lizard in colorado to give live birth , an adaptation for the relatively cool environments where this species resides . sexual reproduction has been noted in march and april in weld county ( d . martin & t . mathies ,
sherbrooke , w . c . 2003 . introduction to the horned lizards of north america . university of california press , berkeley and los angeles , california . 191 pp .
horned lizards are decreasing . urban encroachment , radiation , and pesticides are among the factors hurting the species . legislation has been enacted to prevent collection as pets in many states . as in all national parks , the collecting of wild animals at bryce canyon is illegal . monitoring and acting on recorded observations is crucial to survival of horned lizards .
failing camouflage and flight , their ultimate defense from harassment is to shoot blood from their eyes . this isn’t an old wives’ tale like bats getting snarled in long hair — they really do it . it works pretty well , often startling the lizard’s captor into dropping it .
defenses from predation : short - horned lizards primarily use cryptic behavior and coloration as a defense against predation . when discovered , they may flee for cover or stand their ground . they will readily inflate their lungs to appear larger or more difficult for a predator to swallow . in some cases , they will eject blood from their orbital sinus ( the corner of the eye ) , effectively squirting blood at a predator .
montanucci , r . r . 1979 . notes on systematics of horned lizards allied to phrynosoma orbiculare ( lacertilia : iguanidae ) . herpetologica 35 ( 2 ) : 116 - 124 .
zamudio et al . ( 1997 ) examined mtdna variation in short - horned lizards throughout western north america and concluded that the pacific northwest segment of the population should be recognized as a species ( p . douglasii ) distinct from the species ( p . hernandesi ) represented in the remainder of the range . in addition , there was no support for the recognition of any of the nominal subspecies ; thus each species is best regarded as monotypic .
while camping at nearby valley of fires state park , my sister and i drove out at night to look for snakes on the road nearby . after half an hour or so without seeing anything interesting , we noticed a little white blob in the road as we passed by . it certainly didn ' t look like a snake , but we went back to check it out anyway . we found this little horned lizard hunkered down in the middle of the road , which is not exactly what we expected .
pianka , e . r . and w . s . parker . 1975 . ecology of horned lizards : a review with special reference to phrynosoma platyrhinos . copeia 1975 ( 1 ) : 141 - 162 .
howard , c . w . 1974 . comparative reproductive ecology of horned lizards ( genus phrynosoma ) in the southwestern united states and northern mexico . journal of the arizona academy of science 9 : 108 - 116 .
parker , w . s . , and e . r . pianka . 1975 . ecology of horned lizards : a review with special reference to phrynosoma platyrhinos . copeia 1975 ( 1 ) : 141 - 162 .
sherbrooke , wade c . 2017 . antipredator nest guarding by female horned lizards ( phrynosoma ) : iguanian parental care herpetologica dec 2017 , vol . 73 , no . 4 : 331 - 337 . - get paper here
these bowls are handmade from stoneware , and fired to cone 5 . each bowl is different , and each scale is done individually by hand , as is the slip - painting in their bellies . there is no glaze on these pieces , but the mineral - pigmented slips are fired in place , and are indelible . because of the lack of glaze , i don’t recommend them for frequent food use , or storing liquids . primarily they are meant to be gazed at adoringly . click here to see a picture of horned lizard bowls on threestarowl . com .
phillips , j . a . and h . j . harlow . 1981 . elevation of upper voluntary temperatures after shielding the parietal eye of horned lizards ( phrynosoma douglassi ) . herpetologica 37 ( 4 ) : 199 - 205 .
prieto , a . a . , jr . and w . g . whitford . 1971 . physiological responses to temperature in the horned lizards , phrynosoma cornutum and phrynosoma douglassii . copeia 1971 ( 3 ) : 498 - 504 .
meyers , j . j . ; herrel , a . & nishikawa , k . 2006 . morphological correlates of ant eating in horned lizards ( phrynosoma ) . biological journal of the linnean society 89 : 13–24 - get paper here
reeder , t . w . and r . r . montanucci . 2001 . phylogenetic analysis of the horned lizards ( phrynosomatidae : phrynosoma ) : evidence from mitochondrial dna and morphology . copeia 2001 ( 2 ) : 309 - 323 .
phillips , j . a . , h . j . harlow , and c . l . ralph . 1980 . set - point shifts of behavioral thermoregulation in horned lizards after parietal eye manipulation . american zoologist 20 ( 4 ) : 732 .
reeder , t . w . & montanucci , r . r . 2001 . phylogenetic analysis of the horned lizards ( phrynomomatidae : phrynosoma ) : evidence from mitochondrial dna and morphology . copeia 2001 ( 2 ) : 309 - 323 - get paper here
my wife and i checked for horned lizards again on the morning after i had seen only one in the afternoon . morning was better ; we ended up seeing one adult and four youngsters . horned lizards rely strongly on camouflage , so it ' s often the case that the local population will be colored to closely match the ground . you can see that from the first one pictured here . the second one had run from the rust - colored ground to some mossy ground when it heard us stomping about .
habitats of this lizard range from semi - arid plains to high mountains ; usually the species is in open , shrubby , or openly wooded areas with sparse vegetation at ground level ; soil may vary from rocky to sandy ( degenhardt et al . 1996 , hammerson 1999 , stebbins 2003 , werner et al . 2004 ) . when not active on the surface , the lizards burrow into the soil or occupy rodent burrows .
leaché , adam d . and jimmy a . mcguire 2006 . phylogenetic relationships of horned lizards ( phrynosoma ) based on nuclear and mitochondrial data : evidence for a misleading mitochondrial gene tree . molecular phylogenetics and evolution 39 ( 3 ) : 628 - 644 - get paper here
phrynosoma douglasii commonly occurs throughout the columbia basin and the cascades foothills in a variety of habitats including sagebrush plains , short - grass prairies and occasionally in open pine forests . always found near patches of loose soil or sand for burrowing . the substrate ( soil layer ) is always well - drained . however , this species is uncommon in steppe and intermountain forest . this species is found near ant hills .
lara - reséndiz rafael a . , arenas - moreno diego m . , beltrán - sánchez elizabeth , gramajo weendii , verdugo - molina javier , sherbrooke wade c . et al . 2015 . selected body temperature of nine species of mexican horned lizards ( phrynosoma ) rev . mex . biodiv . 86 ( 1 ) : 275 - 278 . - get paper here
if threatened by predators , horned lizards will squirt blood from the eyes . the squirting blood comes from ducts in the corners of their eyes and can travel a distance of up to three feet ( one meter ) . it ' s meant to confuse would - be predators including birds , coyotes and snakes . the photo shows an adult with blood around the eyes .
food sources ants provide the bulk of this lizard’s food , but it also eats beetles , grasshoppers , spiders , young snakes , snails , sowbugs and a variety of other insects and invertebrates . often they will wait for their prey to come by and snap up the unsuspecting prey whole . they rely heavily on their camouflage to avoid their many predators which include hawks , owls , roadrunners , snakes , lizards , wolves and coyotes . if spotted by a predator they can inflate their bodies up to twice their normal size and with the horns protruding appear to be a very unappetizing meal .
toads , but flat - bodied lizards with short spines crowning the head . the trunk is fringed by one row of pointed scales , while the belly scales are smooth . the color is gray , yellowish , or reddish - brown , and there are two rows of large dark spots on the back . when threatened or aggressive , its ' colors become more intense . the mountain subspecies is primarily reddish with prominent horizontal spines , and ranges from southern utah and western colorado through arizona , new mexico , and mexico .
these three young horned lizards were the highlight of a nice hike through the piney forest near tonto creek . i saw the first one when one of our dogs happened near enough to it that it ran a few inches . i saw the second when another of our dogs noticed it moving and stopped to sniff in its general direction . but the third one i actually saw without any canine assistance .
habitat use in montana is poorly described , but appears to be similar to other regions . reports mention individuals on ridge crests between coulees , and in sparse , short grass and sagebrush with sun - baked soil ( mosimann and rabb 1952 , dood 1980 ) . on the southern exposures of the pryor mountains , carbon county , individuals occur among limestone outcrops in canyon bottoms of sandy soil with an open canopy of limber pine - utah juniper , and are also present on flats of relatively pebbly or stony soil with sparse grass and sagebrush cover ( paul hendricks , personal observation ) .
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species are distinguishable by the formidable crown of horns adorning their head and the numerous spines across their back . their coloring can be yellowish , gray , or reddish - brown depending on the environment they inhabit , and , combined with their shape , affords them considerable camouflage on the surface . they feed primarily on ants , waiting for one to unsuspectingly crawl by before snapping it in and swallowing it whole . they are also known to eat grasshoppers , beetles , and spiders .
the ominous squirting blood emanates from ducts in the corners of their eyes and can travel a distance of up to three feet . it’s meant to confuse would - be predators , but also contains a chemical that is noxious to dogs , wolves , and coyotes .
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we request that if you make use of the textual contents of this site in reports , publications , etc . that you cite and credit the author ( s ) and photographer ( s ) . all photos on this website are copyrighted . however , those found in the species account and habitat sections may be used for any noncommercial scientific , educational , or conservation purposes provided that photographs are not altered and continue to bear the copyright symbol and name of the photographer . please contact the photographer regarding commercial use of copyrighted photographs .
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using personal observations and reviewing literature that summarize the breeding , overwintering , or migratory habitat requirements of each species ( dobkin 1992 , hart et al . 1998 , hutto and young 1999 , maxell 2000 , foresman 2012 , adams 2003 , and werner et al . 2004 ) ;
calculating the percentage of observations associated with each ecological system relative to the percent of montana covered by each ecological system to get a measure of
observations versus availability of habitat
.
species that breed in montana were only evaluated for breeding habitat use , species that only overwinter in montana were only evaluated for overwintering habitat use , and species that only migrate through montana were only evaluated for migratory habitat use . in general , species were listed as associated with an ecological system if structural characteristics of used habitat documented in the literature were present in the ecological system or large numbers of point observations were associated with the ecological system . however , species were not listed as associated with an ecological system if there was no support in the literature for use of structural characteristics in an ecological system ,
point observations were associated with that system . common versus occasional association with an ecological system was assigned based on the degree to which the structural characteristics of an ecological system matched the preferred structural habitat characteristics for each species as represented in scientific literature . the percentage of observations associated with each ecological system relative to the percent of montana covered by each ecological system was also used to guide assignment of common versus occasional association . if you have any questions or comments on species associations with ecological systems , please contact the montana natural heritage program ' s senior zoologist .
species associations with ecological systems should be used to generate potential lists of species that may occupy broader landscapes for the purposes of landscape - level planning . these potential lists of species should not be used in place of documented occurrences of species ( this information can be requested at :
) or systematic surveys for species and evaluations of habitat at a local site level by trained biologists . users of this information should be aware that the land cover data used to generate species associations is based on imagery from the late 1990s and early 2000s and was only intended to be used at broader landscape scales . land cover mapping accuracy is particularly problematic when the systems occur as small patches or where the land cover types have been altered over the past decade . thus , particular caution should be used when using the associations in assessments of smaller areas ( e . g . , evaluations of public land survey sections ) . finally , although a species may be associated with a particular ecological system within its known geographic range , portions of that ecological system may occur outside of the species ' known geographic range .
adams , r . a . 2003 . bats of the rocky mountain west ; natural history , ecology , and conservation . boulder , co : university press of colorado . 289 p .
dobkin , d . s . 1992 . neotropical migrant land birds in the northern rockies and great plains . usda forest service , northern region . publication no . r1 - 93 - 34 . missoula , mt .
foresman , k . r . 2012 . mammals of montana . second edition . mountain press publishing , missoula , montana . 429 pp .
hart , m . m . , w . a . williams , p . c . thornton , k . p . mclaughlin , c . m . tobalske , b . a . maxell , d . p . hendricks , c . r . peterson , and r . l . redmond . 1998 . montana atlas of terrestrial vertebrates . montana cooperative wildlife research unit , university of montana , missoula , mt . 1302 p .
hutto , r . l . and j . s . young . 1999 . habitat relationships of landbirds in the northern region , usda forest service , rocky mountain research station rmrs - gtr - 32 . 72 p .
maxell , b . a . 2000 . management of montana ' s amphibians : a review of factors that may present a risk to population viability and accounts on the identification , distribution , taxonomy , habitat use , natural history , and the status and conservation of individual species . report to u . s . forest service region 1 . missoula , mt : wildlife biology program , university of montana . 161 p .
werner , j . k . , b . a . maxell , p . hendricks , and d . flath . 2004 . amphibians and reptiles of montana . missoula , mt : mountain press publishing company . 262 p .
cope , e . d . 1879 . a contribution to the zoology of montana . american naturalist 13 ( 7 ) : 432 - 441 .
dood , a . r . 1980 . terry badlands nongame survey and inventory final report . montana department of fish , wildlife , and parks and bureau of land management , helena , mt . 70 pp .
hammerson , g . a . 1999 . amphibians and reptiles in colorado . university press of colorado & colorado division of wildlife . denver , co . 484 p .
hendricks , p . 1999 . amphibian and reptile survey of the bureau of land management miles city district , montana . montana natural heritage program , helena , mt . 80 p .
maxell , b . a . , j . k . werner , p . hendricks , and d . l . flath . 2003 . herpetology in montana : a history , status summary , checklists , dichotomous keys , accounts for native , potentially native , and exotic species , and indexed bibliography . society for northwestern vertebrate biology , northwest fauna number 5 . olympia , wa . 135 p .
mosimann , j . e . and g . b . rabb . 1952 . the herpetology of tiber reservoir area , montana . copeia ( 1 ) : 23 - 27 .
nussbaum , r . a . , e . d . brodie , jr . and r . m . storm . 1983 . amphibians and reptiles of the pacific northwest . university of idaho press . moscow , id . 332 pp .
russell , a . p . and a . m . bauer . 1993 . the amphibians and reptiles of alberta . university of calgary press . calgary , alberta . 264 p .
st . john , a . d . 2002 . reptiles of the northwest : california to alaska , rockies to the coast . lone pine publishing , renton , wa . 272 p .
stebbins , r . c . 2003 . a field guide to western reptiles and amphibians . 3rd edition . houghton mifflin company , boston and new york . 533 p .
[ oea ] olson elliot and associates research . 1985 . 1983 - 1984 wildlife monitoring report for the cx ranch project . olson elliot and associates research . helena , mt .
[ presi ] powder river eagle studies incorporated . 1998b . spring creek mine 1997 wildlife monitoring studies . powder river eagle studies incorporated . gillete , wy .
[ usfws ] us fish and wildlife service . 1994 . endangered and threatened wildlife and plants ; animal candidate review for listing as endangered or threatened species . federal register 59 ( 219 ) : 58982 - 59028 .
[ vtnwi ] vtn wyoming incorporated . no date . second year ' s analysis of terrestrial wildlife on proposed mine access and railroad routes in southern montana and northern wyoming , march 1979 - february 1980 . vtn wyoming incorporated . sheridan , wy . 62 p .
[ wesco ] western ecological services company . 1983b . wildlife inventory of the southwest circle known recoverable coal resource area , montana . western ecological services company , novato , ca . 131 p .
allen , j . a . 1874 . notes on the natural history of portions of dakota and montana territories , being the substance of a report to the secretary of war on the collections made by the north pacific railroad expedition of 1873 . proceedings of the boston society of natural history . pp . 68 - 70 .
baxter , g . t . and m . d . stone . 1985 . amphibians and reptiles of wyoming . second edition . wyoming game and fish department . cheyenne , wy . 137 p .
benson , k . r . 1978 . herpetology of the lewis and clark expedition 1804 - 1806 . herpetological review 9 ( 3 ) : 87 - 91 .
brunson , r . b . 1955 . check list of the amphibians and reptiles of montana . proceedings of the montana academy of sciences 15 : 27 - 29 .
bureau of indian affairs , department of the interior . 1981 . draft environmental impact statement . unpublished report for the crow / shell coal lease , crow indian reservation , montana .
burroughs , r . d . 1961 . natural history of the lewis and clark expedition . michigan state university press , east lansing . 340 p .
carlson , j . ( coordinator , montana animal species of concern committee ) . 2003 . montana animal species of concern . helena , mt : montana natural heritage program and montana fish , wildlife , and parks . in press . 12p .
cooper , j . g . 1869 . notes on the fauna of the upper missouri . american naturalist 3 : 294 - 299 .
cooper , j . g . 1869 . the fauna of montana territory . ii . birds . american naturalist 3 : 31 - 35 , 73 - 84 .


the wels catfish ( / ˈwɛls / or / ˈvɛls / ; silurus glanis ) , also called sheatfish , is a large species of catfish native to wide areas of central , southern , and eastern europe , in the basins of the baltic , black , and caspian seas .

it has been introduced to western europe as a sport fish and is now found from the united kingdom all the way east to kazakhstan and china and south to greece and turkey .

it is a scaleless freshwater fish recognizable by its broad , flat head and wide mouth .

wels catfish can live for at least fifty years .

wels catfish

a wels catfish attacks jeremy wade , giving him the information he was after : will a wels catfish attack a human ? apparently so .
regardless , ferrari ' s fish is one of the biggest wels catfish recorded in recent history .
for more information about catfish species and groups , see bullhead ; candiru ; corydoras ; electric catfish ; madtom ; wels . the catfish is also important in aquaculture .
the wels catfish was put in a sling and weighed out at 280 pounds . photo is from the sportex italia facebook page
recently , wels catfish have been spotted in non - native habitats lunging out of the water to grab pigeons on land .
britton jr , pegg j , sedwick r , page r . investigating the catch returns and growth rate of wels catfish ,
but if there ' s an epicenter of wels catfishing , it is surely northern spain ' s river ebro . wels catfish were introduced here in 1974 and promptly went wild , growing at a phenomenal rate .
jeremy wade shows just how deadly the monstrous wels catfish can be . whatever goes into that mouth is not coming back out !
dino ferrari hooked the huge wels catfish , which was 2 . 67m in length , last week in the po delta in italy
mr ferrari ( pictured ) poses with his monster catch . wels catfish can grow as long as 13ft and weigh up to 62st
according to fish biologist and national geographic explorer zeb hogan , the animal is a wels catfish , the largest freshwater fish in europe .
dino ferrari hooked the huge wels catfish , which was 2 . 67m in length , last week in the po delta in italy .
a wels natural diet consists of crayfish , frogs , fish , small mammals and ducklings .
one of the largest - living catfish species , the wels catfish has been recorded at a 5 metre length , although this record is doubtful and sightings today of fish this size are rare .
voracious predatory habits make the wels catfish a serious threat to populations of native vertebrates . water quality may also be reduced through drastic trophic alterations .
after weighing the wels catfish , dino and dario ferrari released the beast back into the po delta . photo is from the sportex italia facebook page
market - size usda 103 catfish ready for harvest . this new variety grows faster than other catfish .
walking catfish - [ clarias batrachus - also hybrids with c . gareipinus , north african sharptooth catfish ]
wels catfish are one of the few large species of freshwater fish that aren ' t endangered , hogan says . ( learn more about megafish . )
many other eurasian invaders arrived in ballast water , but the wels is more likely to arrive by another route . federal regulations do nothing to prevent shipping wels into the country , meaning there is no legal means of preventing wels catfish from arriving in the u . s . for use in the pet trade , fish farms , or live food markets .
any wels catfish bigger than 6 . 5 feet is considered extremely rare . this one was 8 . 8 feet . photo from the sportex italia facebook page
wels catfish can be distinguished from other european catfish by 6 long barbels under the lower jaw , a scaleless mucous - coated elongated body and very small dorsal fin ( britton et al . , 2010 ) .
the wels catfish can live for thirty years and live off annelid worms , gastropods , insects , crustaceans and fish including other catfish ; the larger ones also eat frogs , mice , rats , and even ducks .
local concern : voracious predatory habits make the wels catfish a serious threat to populations of native vertebrates . water quality may also be reduced through drastic trophic alterations .
the wels catfish , also called sheatfish , is native to wide areas of central , southern , and eastern europe , and near the baltic and caspian seas .
the opinions of fishermen on the wels are diverse . many are excited about the growing population and are upgrading their equipment - - in order to catch the wels catfish , you need an extremely heavy fishing rod and large pieces of bait . but many traditional fishermen hate the wels . as soon as it appears on the scene , populations of native species seem to drop .
a large , brown catfish , differing from most other catfish by having a long , eel - like tail .
wels catfish look extremely different to any other coarse fish found within the uk , their elongated body , large head , small eyes and six whiskers are a sure sign of a catfish . wels have a mottled creamy colouring of olive and bronze which covers most of the fish except for its underside which is pale yellow or white .
there is a large and growing ornamental fish trade , with hundreds of species of catfish , especially the genus corydoras , being a popular component of many aquariums . these are commonly known as cory ' s . other catfish commonly found in the aquarium trade are armored suckermouth catfish , banjo catfish , talking catfish , and long - whiskered catfish .
the british record fish committee unfortunately stopped accepting record claims for wels catfish and closed the record list ( see above ) , this followed a period of illegal fish smuggling into england from mainland europe , during which some claims were submitted citing fisheries with no known history of wels catfish being present . the european record for the wels catfish is 316lb 8oz ( that’s an incredible 144kg & 2 . 78m long ) , ironically caught from the river po in italy where they were also introduced as an alien species .
rod manufacturer sportex italia , which sponsors mr ferrari , claimed that the 2 . 67m wels catfish was a world record size to be caught with its torpedo spinning rod .
according to a british wels catfish website , they have hundreds “velcro - like teeth” used to hold prey before passing food to “crushing pads” at the back of the throat .
the wels catfish , which can reach nine feet long and weigh more than 200 pounds , is one of seven animals were recently added to michigan’s list of prohibited species .
walking catfish has been introduced in the freshwaters of florida , with these voracious catfish becoming a major alien pest there .
the wels catfish s . glanis is part of the family siluridae , a group of freshwater fish native to europe , asia and africa . there are 100 species from 12 genera in the family . there are 18 silurus species , of which two are native to europe : wels catfish and aristotles catfish ( s . aristotelis ) . wels catfish is the largest fish out of the order siluriformes and can attain a maximum length of 500 cm , although it more commonly reaches 300 cm . it is the largest - bodied european freshwater fish ( copp et al . , 2009 ) .
catfishes range in size from a few inches to a few feet . the one ferrari caught is reportedly a wels catfish , which can get up to 15 feet long , making this 8 . 75 - foot long catfish barely above average . we ' re seeing reports that the biggest wels could be anywhere from more than 300 pounds up to 660 .
the wels catfish is the second - largest freshwater fish in its region , ranking behind the beluga sturgeon . the largest beluga sturgeon on record is reportedly 3 , 463 pounds .
wels catfish are aggressive predators , however , and they ' ll eat pretty much anything they can fit in their cavernous maws . other popular baits include live and dead carp .
recently , another newcomer has emerged in the rhine : the goby , hardly the size of a finger , was first found in the river in 2008 and has expanded similarly to the wels catfish . the rhine fishermen society is calling it
one of the most dramatic changes in the rhine fauna that has ever been documented .
the wels catfish love gobies . the tiny creatures like hanging out on the riverbed , making easy prey for predator fish . whether the goby is partially responsible for the wels catfish expansion is still unclear .
↑ catfish billy ' s big cat diaries . 2007 . exploring the catfish ' s senses retrieved january 4 , 2007 .
blue catfish - [ ictalurus furcatus ] the largest mississippi catfish and the second best north american catfish for eating , after the closely related channel catfish . details & cooking . illustration by u . s . fish and wildlife service = public domain .
italian fisherman dino ferrari with his 280 - pound wels catfish from the po delta . it might be a world record on rod and reel . photo from the sportex italia facebook page
the po river and delta are known for massive wels catfish , but anything bigger than 6 . 5 feet is considered extremely rare , and this one measured 8 . 8 feet .
it was found in the po delta , which is known for having the perfect living conditions for giant wels to flourish .
but mr feltham , 52 , said he was now convinced that nessie was a wels catfish - a giant fearsome fish that can grow as long as 13ft and up to 62 stone .
virtually all wels catfishing in europe is catch - and - release , and a fish this size will almost never be kept .
the wels catfish was introduced to britain , italy , spain , greece and some other countries during the last century . the species has flourished in the warm lakes and rivers of southern europe . the river danube , river po in italy and the river ebro in spain are famous for huge wels catfish , which grow up to 2 metres . these habitats contain plenty of food and lack natural predators .
catfish are raised in warm climates , are inexpensive , and are safe food for the local grocers . the most popular catfish in florida is the channel fish ; the second most desired is the white catfish .
catfish have a sweet , mild flesh which makes them important as food fish throughout the world . blue catfish and bullheads ( ictalurids ) are cultivated in north america ( especially in the deep south , with mississippi being the largest domestic catfish producer . airbreathing catfish ( clariids ) and shark catfish ( pangasiidae ) are heavily cultured in africa and asia .
, sheatfish or wels catfish , is native to eastern europe and asia . it has been introduced to several other areas including germany , france , spain , england , greece , turkey and the netherlands .
wels catfish are carriers of viral pathogens ; spring viraemia of carp ( svc ) and european sheatfish virus ( esv ) , which may adversely impact native fish including salmonids and amphibians . wels catfish are also hosts of specialist parasites such as trichodina siluri , myxobolus miyarii , leptorhynchoides plagicephalus and pseudotracheliastes stellifer which may be detrimental to native fish survival ( copp et al . 2009 ; copp et al . 2010 ) .
britton jr , pegg j , 2007 . investigating the catch returns and growth rate of wels catfish ( siluris glanis ) , using mark - recapture . fisheries management and ecology , 14 : 263 - 268 .
the u . k . mirror reported that ferrari ' s fish could possibly be the world ' s biggest wels catfish caught with a rod and reel , though records of this sort are difficult to confirm .
wels , large , voracious catfish of the family siluridae , native to large rivers and lakes from central europe to western asia . one of the largest catfishes , as well as one of the largest of european freshwater fishes , the wels attains a length of about 4 . 5 m ( 15 feet ) and a weight of 300 kg ( 660…
↑ catfish billy ' s big cat diaries . 2007 . exploring the catfish ' s senses . big cat diaries retrieved january 11 , 2007 .
this large and powerful fish is becoming more popular with international anglers as internet tales and photographs of monster wels keep trickling out of europe .
wels catfish have an elongated scaleless body , a large head , tiny eyes , and a powerful forebody with a laterally compressed tail . the cavernous mouth has hundreds of rows of very small , gripping teeth on both its top and bottom jaws . the wels catfish has six barbules : those on the upper jaw are carried straight in front to detect prey , whilst the four shorter ones on the lower jaw hang straight down .
unlike earlier invaders , the wels is a top predator that eats other fish and even birds . type “catfish eats pigeons” into a search engine if you want proof . in their native waters large specimens have become scarce .
in the uk , wels catfish are non - native and therefore require an ilfa ( introduction of live fish act ) license for introduction as part of regulatory legislation control and enforcement . according to hickley and chare ( 2004 ) , recreational fishing and aquaculture are the predominant introductory pathways for s . glanis . unregulated activities , both intentional and accidental , from recreational fishing and flooding spates from lakes are of concern with recent reports of wels catfish in river great ouse and river thames in the uk from the catfish conservation group .
the cannibalistic wels catfish , also known as the sheatfish , is native to europe and can grow as long as 13ft and up to 62st - but it is exceedingly rare to catch one that is over two metres long .
in the 1860’s , in anticipation of the possible use of wels catfish to feed the masses ,
the times
newspaper suggested that the fish was
the most important animal introduction since the bringing of the turkey
, describing the flesh as
veal with a rich eel - like flavour , superior to salmon .
however , the use of the wels catfish as a food source does not appear to have been as successful as was anticipated .
the wels catfish never played much of a role in our waters ,
staas says .
that has changed .
he suspects human activity may be behind the boom , in the form of uncontrolled releases . manuel lankau , biologist with the westphalia fishermen ' s association , agrees .
it ' s highly possible that the wels catfish has spread because of fish stocking policies , and that in recent years the diverse populations have coalesced .
catfish , which have a sweet , mild flesh , are important as food fish throughout the world . ictalurids are cultivated in north america ( especially in the deep south , with mississippi being the largest domestic catfish producer ) . [ 25 ] in the southeastern united states , catfish are an extremely popular food . the fish , mostly channel catfish and blue catfish , are found in most waterways in the region . a favorite catfish dish is breaded with cornmeal and fried .
nothing is known about home range sizes or patterns of movement in these catfish .
catfish can become very tired after a lengthy battle , always ensure that the catfish is fully rested before its release . to do this , suspend the catfish in the water until it has recovered enough to swim away under its own steam .
catfish have well developed sensory organs , with many such organs covering their bodies .
a post about the biggest catfish records has been well - liked by readers .
they also eat other catfish and may have eaten breeding females over time .
wels catfish have been known to grow up to 15 feet ( 4 . 6 meters ) long and reach sizes of 300 to 660 pounds , depending on the source . they can live for decades , possibly as long as 80 years .
a very strong rod is required when in pursuit of wels catfish , a rod with a 3lb test curve or above is highly recommended , although a heavy duty carp rod of 2 3 / 4 lb would be sufficient for small cats .
for all those crazy guys who go ‘noodling’ for catfish and stick their arms down the fish’s throat ! ! this would be ‘all the catfish you can eat . ’
as a starting point you can aim to look for likely features that the catfish may inhabit or patrol , such as their lairs ( see habitat ) but it is known that catfish will actively hunt and will follow both scent trails and transmissions from injured fish . so providing that your baits are well presented and attractive to the catfish , there is a good chance that a hungry wels will find your bait .
catfish range in size and behaviour from the heaviest , the giant mekong catfish in southeast asia and the longest , the wels catfish of eurasia . the average size of the species is about 1 . 2 metres to 1 . 6 metres , and fish more than 2 metres are very rare . the largest specimens on record measure more than 2 . 5 metres in length and sometimes exceed 100 kilograms in weight .
this opportunity is greater than ever before . the population of wels catfish , also known as sheatfish , is rapidly expanding in germany . the fish can grow up to be three meters ( 10 feet ) long , weigh up to 150 kilograms ( 330 pounds ) and live as long as 80 years . fishermen say the wels population has been increasing at a swift pace , and researchers are puzzled by the sudden boom .
the addition of wels catfish in recreational catch and release fisheries is likely to have a beneficial revenue effect . however , consideration must be given to the economic costs that are likely to arise from management control policies with the removal of s . glanis from unlicensed waters ; monitoring , removal costs and challenges in recapturing demersal species . removal of wels catfish from unlicensed lakes appears to be a priority for the environment agency in england and wales , although how successful these measures are in practice has yet to be ascertained .
wels catfish are rumored to reach 15 feet and upwards of 600 pounds . bringing them to shore is hot work . yes , this woman is topless . maybe she was sunbathing when the fish hit ( europeans see these things differently than we do ) .
many species of catfish in the wild spawn once a year , with sexual maturity reached from three to five years . in catfish farms , the average time for maturity decreases .
oh , and i wanted to add : the wels in england ( where they were also introduced by man ) are only very very small compared to those at continental europe . this is probably a result of the climate , as its growth is highly dependent from temperature . the english record from 1997 was only a meager wels of 62lb ( 28 . 123 kilo’s ) , and this is already exceptional big for england . so it is hard to imagine that there were any serious injuries caused by english wels .
italian fisherman dino ferrari , an expert at catching big wels catfish , outdid himself on thursday when he landed an enormous 280 - pounder in the po delta , a part of the famous po river , the longest river in italy at more than 400 miles .
poster - pm - 9350 wels catfish european freshwater silurus glanis showing whiskers pat morris please note that prints are for personal display purposes only and may not be reproduced in anyway . contact details : prints @ urltoken tel : + 44 ( 0 ) 20 8672 2067
the wels catfish was first successfully introduced into the uk over 130 years ago by the duke of bedford who stocked 70 of them into his now famous lakes at woburn abbey in bedfordshire . we still consider wels catfish as rarities in britain , although their distribution is increasing every year and there are now catfish waters in nearly every county in england . for a time it was certainly true that the majority of the uk waters were within 50 miles of woburn abbey , however there was a big increase in numbers of catfish coming into the uk in the late 1990s when fish farmers and dealers starting importing cats from mainland europe with the vast majority of those coming from croatia . since then as fisheries have matured and stocks have been managed this had led to a steady if not huge availability of catfish to those looking to increase existing stocks or introduce cats into their waters for the first time . there are now over 500 licenced waters in the uk and possibly as many as 100 unlicensed you should never be too far away from a water containing wels catfish .
an enormous catfish weighing 20 stone has been caught in italy using only a fishing rod .
we have an exclusive specimen carp lake with carp in excess of 37lb , a dedicated catfish lake with catfish to 40lb + and a small pleasure lake for day tickets and matches .
bright agrotech holds tc in the highest regard and refers to her on all matters catfish .
bullheads are a variety of american freshwater catfish that inhabits slow moving backwaters with soft bottoms . they differ from most catfish in having squared off tails and being relatively small in size .
the catfish lake started off with over 100 wels catfish but over the last couple of years the carp population has greatly increased so now the lake has become a good alternative to the top lake . the biggest catfish to be landed during 2016 was just short of 40lb but that is by no means the biggest catfish in the lake . the carp run to 20lb and can prove to be good sport during the day when fishing for the catfish can be tricky . for anyone looking to catch both , carp and catfish then this lake is perfect . most methods work for the catfish but worms at night and lots of halibut pellets during the day has proved to be the winning methods . if fishing for carp use smaller halibuts or fishmeal boilies and you will stand a good chance of catching both carp and catfish . we feed the carp and catfish on a mix of haibut pellets , wheat , barley and maize . fishing is by advanced booking only by calling or texting our booking line on
wels catfish are native to eastern europe but were introduced to italy and spain in the 1970s by anglers . the fish have flourished in southern europe , enjoying a respite from natural predators , an abundance of prey , and warmer water , which helps them grow faster .
the wels catfish is originally from the eastern countries in europe and until recently thought to originate no further west than germany . however , they have recently been re - classified when fossilised remains of one were discovered in belgium . their near neighbours in france are still arguing amongst themselves to some extent as to whether catfish had inhabited some of their eastern rivers previously !
few anglers venture into eastern europe where commercial fishing is rife but this is where wels catfish are indigenous and with a lot of research and perseverance good catfishing can be found . large catfish exist in the rivers volga , ural , dneiper and don in russia , the danube in hungary , and romania , and the huge vranov reservoir system in the czech republic .
this is why michigan recently took the precaution of listing wels catfish as a prohibited species . the designation prohibits possession and transport of live animals . for more details on invasive species law see the fact sheet produced in cooperation with michigan sea grant and michigan state university extension .
the back of the catfish ' s eyes are coated with a layer of crystals that reflect light allowing for excellent vision . this allows the catfish to be an astute hunter . [ 19 ]
catfish have no scales . all catfish , except members of electric catfish family , possess a strong , hollow , bony leading ray on their dorsal and pectoral fins , through which a stinging protein can be delivered if the fish is irritated . in members of the family plotosidae ( eeltail catfish ) and of the genus heteropneustes ( sri lanka stinging catfish ) , this protein is so strong it can put a human being in hospital if they are unfortunate enough to receive a sting .
and for a legitimate shot at a 200 - pound catfish , it ' s no wonder .
the wels catfish lays 25 , 000 eggs in one clutch . after three years , the young fish are ready to breed , and after another three years they typically grow to be a meter long . while the fish naturally spawns only once every 10 years , the summer temperatures in the rhine apparently increase the capacity to breed each year . still lankau , the biologist , says he wouldn ' t call the fish a menace .
the wels catfish will not deprive itself of its own basic food source by eating up all the other fish ,
he says .
in asia , many catfish species are important food fish . several walking catfish ( clariidae ) and shark catfish ( pangasiidae ) species are heavily cultured in africa and asia . exports of one particular shark catfish species from vietnam , pangasius bocourti , has met with pressures from the u . s . catfish industry . in 2003 , the u . s . congress passed a law preventing the imported fish from being labeled as catfish . [ 27 ] as a result , the vietnamese exporters of this fish now label their products sold in the u . s . as
basa fish .
the mirror and nt news reported that the biggest wels catfish ever recorded was a 9 . 1 - footer from the po delta , but they differ on its weight - - one reporting it as 308 pounds , the other as 317 pounds . the method of that catch is uncertain .
sometimes you just get lucky with the experimental items , but we found 10 secret ( and proven ) catfish baits you didn’t know about that have the staying power to attract catfish time after time .
the large wide mouth of the wels catfish contains hundreds of small teeth that feel like velcro to the touch , these are used to move food and prey to the rear of the throat , where crushing pads crush the food prior to swallowing . surrounding their mouths catfish have six whiskers , two on the upper jaw which are used for detecting prey and four whiskers on the lower jaw .
the heaviest catfish are mekong giant catfish ( pangasianodon gigas ) which can reach 9 feet and over 600 pounds . unfortunately they are currently listed as critically endangered and should not be fished or eaten . the longest is the eurasian wels catfish ( silurus glanis ) which can reach nearly 10 feet and 330 pounds . this fish is common in central , southern and eastern europe , in the baltic region and the caspian sea . it is currently iuc red listed as lc ( least concern ) .
the enormous wels catfish is rapidly expanding in german waters . the fish can grow up to 10 feet long and weigh over 300 pounds , making recreational fishermen excited about the prospects of catching one . while biologists aren ' t yet calling the fish pests , they are puzzled by the boom .
with fish this size , it ' s no wonder that tales of man - eating catfish abound .
catfish are a tasty choice and are definitely worth considering if you plan on raising a food fish .
another admirable quality is that catfish are hardy , and thrive at convenient temperatures ; a system that stays around 60 - 70 degrees is ideal , and catfish will keep eating to at temperature of 55 .
wels catfish often lay in quiet , dark lairs until ready to feed : overhanging trees , weed beds , lilies and hollows under the bank or on a lake or river bed provide ideal locations . they inhabit rivers and large lakes and ponds where they occupy both a scavenger and apex predator role .
there are lot ' s of possibilities when you are choosing a fish for your system . catfish are a great fish and might just be your perfect match . let ' s talk about catfish in aquaponics .
< h2 > wels world record < / h2 > < strong > all - tackle record : < / strong > 134 . 97 kilograms ( 297 pounds , 9 ounces ) , river po , italy
wels catfish reach sexual maturity between 3 & 5 years of age and tend to spawn when water temperatures reach a consistent 18 - 20 degrees , normally between may & july . as soon as the water is warm enough , the male catfish will find a quiet area where he can pack and smooth down the lake bed in order to build a nest , once built he will wait for a female to visit .
movie showing european catfish displaying beaching behavior to capture land birds , with two successful and two unsuccessful attacks .
the behavior of the catfish when hunting pigeons is highlighted in the study , published on dec . 5 .
an italian angler made the catch of his life this week , hauling in a 280 - pound catfish from the po river ( above , the angler can be seen catching a slightly smaller catfish in 2013 ) .
a catfish ' s sex can be identified by looking at its genitals , two openings are present on the belly of the catfish , the anus and the genital opening . the opening towards the head is the anus , while the opening towards the tail is the genital opening . male catfish have a genital opening that is raised and pointed in appearance , whilst the female catfish have a genital opening that is rounder and shorter .
catfish have excellent hearing and anglers sometimes use a clonk on large waters ( a clonk is a wooden stick used to hit the water ) as the sound vibrations can be effective in luring catfish into an area .
though the most common catfish – channel , blue and flathead catfish – have varied preferences in their natural diets , they are all opportunistic feeders . this means that if bait is enticing enough , they will not discriminate .
there are more than two thousand species of catfish to be found in the world today . the smallest is fully - grown at 20 mm . the largest is reputed to attain a length of more than five metres . this fish is the european wels catfish , silurus glanis , is one of the world ' s largest freshwater fish and is the largest freshwater fish in europe . it can be found throughout europe and into asia .
another reason for introductions is as a biocontrol agent for controlling cyprinid fish . s . glanis was introduced to netherlands from hungary for this purpose . wels catfish occur in the flemish part of belgium . simoens et al . ( 2002 ) report that in lake schulen in flanders , large wels catfish which had been illegally introduced by anglers had successfully reproduced . introductions to rivers in spain have resulted in abundant populations in four river basins , where catfish can reach large sizes > 1 m ( carol . et al . , 2009 ) . according to linhart et al . ( 2002 ) , s . glanis has been farmed historically in austria , bulgaria , croatia , germany , france , hungary , greece , macedonia , poland , the czech republic and romania .
gottfriend s . has been fishing for 40 years in the sieg , a tributary of the rhine in the western state of north rhine - westphalia . he shrugs as he points to an empty bucket .
you used to always find trout here , but the wels catfish is wiping everything out ,
he says . his fishermen ' s association this year got rid of all its closed seasons for catching the catfish , calling on its members to target the fish and not throw them back in the water . but that ' s not always easy . gottfried s . recently had to call in the help of a local farmer to help an exhausted fisherman pull a giant wels catfish out of the water . they needed a tractor to get the job done .
catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest , the mekong giant catfish in southeast asia , and the longest , the wels catfish of eurasia , to detritivores ( species that eat dead material on the bottom ) , and even to a tiny parasitic species commonly called the candiru , vandellia cirrhosa , which are known to attack humans ( by entering the urethra of humans ) . members of most madtom species are no more than five inches ( 12 . 7 cm ) long ; some are less than two in . ( 5 cm ) long .
jeremy was lucky enough to catch a goonch catfish once before , but not so much the second time around .
it was 3 o ' clock in the morning when the wels catfish bit . peter neumann fought with the beast for a full hour before he finally released the hook from the enormous mouth and threw the fish back into the rhine river .
what would you do with such a huge animal ?
asks neumann , an expert on the wels catfish , a large species found across europe . they don ' t taste particularly good , and they generally have very little usable meat . but catching the fish as a sport is becoming more and more popular . many anglers are discovering the opportunity to snag some of the impressive specimen right in their own backyard .
researchers captured a video of the catfish attacking the pigeons on the tarn . pigeons gather along the gravel to clean and bathe as the catfish - - measuring three to five feet long - - patrol the waters edge , according to discover magazine . when the catfish hunt the pigeons , they temporarily strand themselves on land for a few seconds .
the wels catfish , although predatory has never been demonstrated to have a detrimental impact on other species of fish in uk waters . at the time of writing there are over 500 licenced catfish waters in the uk , out of which only a handful of waters are known to have become dominated by cats and these tend to be commercial waters . just like pike , it’s felt that where waters are left to find their own balance this will even itself out fairly quickly and the cats will start to control their own numbers . the reality with commercial type waters is the cats are usually well managed . the ccg have helped one or two waters out by finding new homes for these catfish often creating new catfish fisheries in the process . catfish are a positive help in fisheries in control of sick / dead fish and have the advantage of preying on crayfish , so in waters plagued by crayfish catfish can help keep them under control .
catfish are predatory but also scavengers and will eat most baits as well as most small animals and birds .
if you want to thank aleece for her wonderful advice , check out her website and read up on channel catfish .
) , with a maximum length and weight of 1 . 5 metres and 68 kilograms , and the channel catfish (
kazakhstan in asia introduced catfish in to the river ili sytem the mid 20th century and these have now attained huge proportions with fish of over 100kg captured every season . the mighty syr darya to the west has a natural catfish population as well as perhaps the biggest catfish to be caught anywhere . life ' s just too short for the avid cat fisher !
catfish have inhabited all continents at one time or another . catfish are most diverse in tropical south america , asia and africa with one family native to north america and one family in europe . more than half of all catfish species live in the americas . they are the only ostariophysans that have entered freshwater habitats in madagascar , australia , and new guinea .
they may be brutishly ugly , but that hasn ' t stopped the wels catfish from becoming one of the most sought - after gamefish in europe , and north american anglers are starting to take notice as well .
oh yeah , we ' re seeing more americans and canadians coming over for a chance to catch these fish ,
says bunn .
estimated aggregations size averaged 25 adults wels catfish and ranged from 15 to 44 adults among the 17 surveys . the groups were mainly composed of 120 - cm long individuals , followed by some 210 - cm long individuals and few 170 - cm long individuals ( a 60 - cm long individual , observed at a few occasions , was not used for the subsequent estimation of aggregation biomass , density and excretion ) . estimated body - length distribution was computed as followed : 66 % 120 cm tl , 14 % 170 cm tl and 20 % 210 cm tl . total biomass of the aggregation was estimated assuming a sex ratio of 1∶1 and using the length - weight relationships for females and males wels catfish (
it should come as no surprise that a eurasian catfish known for its healthy appetite , giant size and eel - like tail might pose a threat to native species in the great lakes region if it is introduced to local waters . the wels catfish is a creature of legend in its home waters around the black and caspian seas and west to germany , and before the action of the natural resources commission little could have prevented it from becoming a reality in the great lakes .
its native area is the same region that produced successful great lakes invaders including zebra mussels , quagga mussels , round goby , and spiny water flea so there is little doubt that the wels can thrive in a climate similar to ours .
still , it’s not every week you see such big creatures or hear a cool fish tale . cnn reports that ( after a flurry of photos to prove it was real ) ferrari released the fish back into the water . the wels catfish can live for decades , though , so maybe we’ll see the same one resurface at a record - breaking size .
like their namesake feline companions , catfish are hunting pigeons as prey in a development scientists are calling evidence of adaptive behavior .
↑ k . sutton , 2007 . understanding catfish senses . game and fish magazine online . retrieved january 11 , 2007 .
↑ mississippi state university extension service . 2006 . aquaculture : catfish . msucares . com . retrieved january 3 , 2007 .
spawning habits vary between catfish species . catfish such as the channel catfish , the blue catfish and the white catfish are nest builders . spawning occurs mostly in rivers and streams in the spring and early summer when waters warm to 70 to 85 degrees fahrenheit . catfish also will spawn in larger lakes where suitable habitat is available . eggs are deposited in nests secluded under banks or logs or over open bottom . the male chooses the nesting site , often a natural cavern or hole , clears the nest and guards the eggs and young . a female may lay 2 , 000 to 21 , 000 eggs that hatch in 6 to 10 days depending on water temperature . males protect the fry until they leave the nest in about a week .
the white catfish ( ameiurus catus ) eat fish as their major food , but they also eat larval aquatic insects , small crustaceans , fish eggs and aquatic plants . they may feed at night , but are not as nocturnal as other catfish .
unless you live in antarctica , the only continent they aren’t known to inhabit , there is a species of catfish nearby .
these characteristics , coupled with their prolific distribution , make catfish one of the most popular recreational game fish in the world .
there are dozens of ways to cook catfish , and even if you overcook them , they just get a bit dense .
in the united states , catfish species may be known by a variety of slang names , such as
mud cat
,
polliwogs
, or
chuckleheads
. these nicknames are not standardized , so one area may call a bullhead catfish by the nickname
chucklehead
, while in another state or region , that nickname refers to the blue catfish .
regardless , the meager figures that do exist document an impressive development . in the 1980s there were few reports of wels catfish catches . in 1996 there were 656 kilograms registered , a figure that jumped to 1 , 282 kilos the next year . the most recent figures come from 2010 , when fishermen caught more than 14 tons of the fish from the rhine .
catfish include bony - plated types and also smooth , naked types , but they do not have scales . not all catfish families have prominent barbels ; what defines a fish as being in the order siluriformes are certain features of the skull and swimbladder .
the colouration of wels varies greatly between individuals : usually with the back being fairly dark olive green to blue - black , giving way to paler flanks sometimes rusty in colour . this base colour is marbled with dark blotches and spots and gives way to a creamy yellow belly : providing near perfect camouflage for both stealth and low - level attack . the wels catfish is also seen in bright colours , ranging from bright orange and yellows , to albino looking forms with red eyes , whilst others grow almost entirely blue / black in colour . the fins are dark , ranging from red - brown to brown - violet .
appearance : catfish are easily identified with long slender bodies , broad heads , wide mouths and long slender barbels . the wels catfish has two long barbels on the upper jaw and four shorter barbels on the lower jaw . these barbels are used to hunt and detect prey . the body is dark brown to black in colour with a soft yellow to white belly . the anal fin is long ( usually the half the length of the body ) and finishes right at the base of the tail fin .
syväranta j , cucherousset j , kopp d , crivelli a , céréghino r . dietary breadth and trophic position of introduced european catfish
there are some 2200 species of catfish in as many as 40 families and many genera . the greatest number of species is found central and south america ( including one recently discovered in mexico that may have been around since dinosaur days ) . some catfish are ocean fish but most live in fresh water . catfish do not have scales but some species are covered with overlapping armor plates .
swimming in the reservoir is now forbidden because it is feared another similar man - eating catfish is still lurking in the waters .
catfishes ( order siluriformes ) are a diverse group of ray - finned fish . named for their prominent barbels , which resemble a cat ' s whiskers , catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest , the mekong giant catfish from southeast asia and the second longest , the wels catfish of eurasia , to detritivores ( species that eat dead material on the bottom ) , and even to a tiny parasitic species commonly called the candiru , vandellia cirrhosa . there are armour - plated types and there are also naked types , neither having scales . despite their name , not all catfish have prominent barbel . members of the siluriformes order are defined by features of the skull and swimbladder . catfish are of considerable commercial importance ; many of the larger species are farmed or fished for food . many of the smaller species , particularly the genus corydoras , are important in the aquarium hobby . many catfish are nocturnal , but others ( many auchenipteridae ) are crepuscular or diurnal ( most loricariidae or callichthyidae for example ) .
there is a risk that wels catfish may impact on native fauna for a number of reasons . firstly they may increase competition for habitats of native fish , including the critically endangered eel ( anguilla anguilla ) . however , martino et al . ( 2011 ) reported that in the camargue in southern france , s . glanis consumption was not a threat to eel distribution , as their diet was mainly omnivorous . secondly , catfish are opportunistic foragers , able to switch their feeding to the most suitable resource available .
no one knows just how large this european behemoth actually grows , but accounts dating back hundreds of years tell of giant water monsters eating peasants unfortunate enough to fall in the water . these days wels are best - known as a trophy angling prizes .
i recommend getting local channel catfish fingerlings ( any state that has fish farms that sell fish for stocking farm ponds are likely to have some sort of catfish to sell for the local climate and that is where i would recommend getting stock normally . )
this species requires temperatures of 25 - 28ºc for optimal growth , food assimilation and breeding ( copp et al . , 2009 ) . however , there are reports of wels catfish breeding in some lakes in southern england at present temperatures ( copp et al . , 2009 ) . establishment success in france has been restricted by cold winter temperatures of < 10ºc ( david , 2006 ) .
although the genetic structure and phylogeography have been studied in its native range , there is little information known about genetic characteristics of s . glanis in its introduced range ( copp et al . , 2009 ) . information regarding wels catfish nuclear and mitochondrial genome is sparse . the mitochondrial genome has 16 , 526 base pairs containing 37 genes , of which 13 genes are for protein synthesis , 22 trnas and 2rrnas , and a control region which functions in the same way as other vertebrate mtdnas . from phylogenetic analysis it seems likely that wels catfish represent an early diversification of siluriformes ( vittas et al . , 2011 ) . s . glanis has fewer alleles than s . aristotelis and s . triostegus but similar observed and expected heterozygosities ( krieg et al . , 1999 ) .
the natural resources commission took the step of adding wels and six other species to the list effective nov . 6 . other species put on the prohibited list were the stone moroko , zander , killer shrimp , yabby , golden mussel and red swamp crayfish .
kirsten pohlmann , , frank w . grasso , thomas breithaupt . 2001 . tracking wakes : the nocturnal predatory strategy of piscivorous catfish .
catfish are very diverse , ranking second or third in diversity among orders of vertebrates , with almost 3 , 000 known species . [ 1 ] about one in every ten species of fish , and one in every 20 vertebrates , is a catfish . [ 2 ]
the madtoms of e north american streams have brightly colored patterns , but the majority of catfish are dull - colored . [ 8 ]
alp a , kara c , üçkardeş f , carol j , garcía - berthou e . age and growth of the european catfish (
if you want to see a man eating catfish , just drop by the local knights of columbus council hall any friday during lent .
in places where non - native wels were introduced they can weigh in at over 200 pounds . the river po recently produced the igfa all - tackle record of 297 pounds , 9 ounces . this proves that these cats can thrive outside of their home range .