| Family |
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Ictaluridae
Species (popular name): Black bullhead
(scientific name): Ictalurus melas (Rafinesque, 1820) | | |
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| Name in the main European languages |
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I: Pescegatto
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F: Poisson chat
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E: Pez gato
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D: Zwergwel
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| Max. size |
Kg: 25
cm: 120 |
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| Period of reproduction |
| Late Spring/Summer |
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| Description |
| A medium size fish, it has a squat body with no scales, abundantly covered with mucus. It is dark-coloured on the back and white-yellowish on the stomach. The pectoral and dorsal fins have their first ray sharpened and thorn-shaped; the caudal fin has a straight edge and presents a typical bright band at the base. Its mouth is very large, with fleshy lips, and it is provided with small acuminated cone-shaped teeth. It has four pairs of barbels of different lengths: the "whiskers" after which it takes its name. |
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| Biology |
| A rustic fish, highly resistant to warm and cold temperatures and to low oxygen concentrations. Of North American origins, it was introduced in Italy at the beginning of last century; it spread in particular in the River Po basin and in the southern River Tevere. It prefers to live in quite warm slow waters rich in vegetation with a sandy and slimy bottom. Sexual maturity is reached after about two years. Reproduction takes place at a temperature of 21°C; the black bullhead digs a sort of "nest" into the bottom and lays 6,000-8,000 eggs per kg of live weight covered with a gelatinous substance. The eggs in the nest are usually guarded by the male, that provides to ventilate, clean and protect them from predators. The eggs are about 3 mm long and cream-coloured; at a temperature of 21-24°C they hatch in 5-10 days. Male look after the fries until they are 4-5 cm long. When the small black bullheads follow the parent, they take a typical "spherical-cloud"-shaped formation. A highly voracious night species, it feeds mainly on bottom invertebrates, but also on fish and its eggs (even of its own species); it also likes plants. In Italy also the presence of the so-called "brown bullhead" (Ictalurus nebulosus, Le Sueur 1819) was reported, probably introduced together with the other one and confused with it. The differences in fact are minimal: smaller size, brighter and spotted overall colouring, lack of the bright band at the base of the tail. |
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| Fishing |
| Its white-orange-coloured flesh is tasty and highly appreciated. However, the black bullhead is sought by sports fishers also for its fighting spirit and the quite easy cooking. |
| Acquaculture |
| The black bullhead breeding is quite successful in our country. Distributed especially in the Emilia Romagna, Lombardia and Veneto regions, it allows breeders to use non-spring waters, which otherwise are subject to sudden seasonal changes of temperature. The national production in 2001 was about …… tons. |
| Curiosity |
| As we said, the dorsal fin, and even more the pectoral fins, have their first ray sharpened and thorn-shaped. Be careful, then, when you clean the fish: it may cause you painful cuts. |
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