Black Bullhead
Ameiurus melas (Rafinesque, 1820)
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Subphylum | Vertebrata |
| Class | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Siluriformes |
| Family | Ictaluridae |
| Genus | Ameiurus |
| Species | Ameiurus melas (Rafinesque, 1820) |
Description
Diagnostic characters
- Ecological class
- Stygoxene
- Realm
- Aquatic
Distribution
Range
Known from three counties across two states.
Continent
North America
Country
United States
States and provinces
Alabama, Illinois
Counties
- Alabama
- Madison, Morgan
- Illinois
- Monroe
Conservation and management
IUCN Red List
LC Least Concern
Assessed in 2013.
NatureServe
G5 Secure
National ranks
- Canada
- N5 Secure
- United States
- N5 Secure
Subnational ranks
- Saskatchewan
- S3 Vulnerable
- Ontario
- S4 Apparently Secure
- British Columbia
- SNA Not Applicable
- Manitoba
- S5 Secure
- New Mexico
- S3 Vulnerable
- Colorado
- S5 Secure
- Wisconsin
- S5 Secure
- California
- SNA Not Applicable
- North Carolina
- SNA Not Applicable
- Tennessee
- S5 Secure
- NN
- SNA Not Applicable
- Illinois
- S5 Secure
- Connecticut
- SNA Not Applicable
- NE
- S5 Secure
- Louisiana
- S5 Secure
- Nevada
- SNA Not Applicable
- Ohio
- S5 Secure
- Oklahoma
- SNR Unranked
- South Carolina
- SNA Not Applicable
- Maryland
- SNR Unranked
- Arkansas
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Kentucky
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Arizona
- SNA Not Applicable
- Minnesota
- SNR Unranked
- Missouri
- SNR Unranked
- Oregon
- SNA Not Applicable
- Texas
- S5 Secure
- ND
- SNR Unranked
- Kansas
- S5 Secure
- Pennsylvania
- SU Unrankable
- Mississippi
- S5 Secure
- Utah
- SNA Not Applicable
- Massachusetts
- SNA Not Applicable
- Indiana
- S4 Apparently Secure
- West Virginia
- S1 Critically Imperiled
- Wyoming
- S5 Secure
- Georgia
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Montana
- SNA Not Applicable
- Virginia
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Iowa
- S5 Secure
- South Dakota
- S5 Secure
- Washington
- SNA Not Applicable
- Alabama
- S5 Secure
- Idaho
- SNA Not Applicable
- Michigan
- S5 Secure
- New York
- S1 Critically Imperiled
- NJ
- SNA Not Applicable
State and federal status
Not listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act
References
- Armstrong, J.G. & Williams, J.D. 1971. Cave and spring fishes of the southern bend of the Tennessee River. Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science 46: 107–115.
- Niemiller, M.L., Anderson, C.L., Maxwell, E.C., Midgette, H., Quering, C., Richards, M., Wilson, K. & Wirwa, N. 2025. A noteworthy range extension of the federally endangered Alabama Cave Shrimp (Palaemonias alabamae) south of the Tennessee River in northern Alabama. Southeastern Naturalist 24: N47-N58. doi:10.1656/058.024.0403
- Rheams, K.F., Moser, P.H. & McGregor, S.W. 1992. Geologic, hydrologic, and biologic investigations in Arrowwood, Bobcat, Matthews, and Shelta caves and selected caves, Madison, County, Alabama. Geological Survey of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA. 262 pp.
- Rheams, K.F., Moser, P.H. & McGregor, S.W. 1994. Hydrogeologic and biologic factors related to the occurrence of the Alabama cave shrimp (Palaemonias alabamae), Madison County, Alabama. Geological Survey of Alabama Bulletin 161: 1–147.
- Webb, D.W., Taylor, S.J. & Krejca, J.K. 1993. The biological resources of Illinois caves and other subterranean environments. Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign, Illinois, USA. 143 pp.
How to cite this account
Ameiurus melas (Rafinesque, 1820). Cave Biology Data Portal, account SP-1487. https://cavebiology.org/species/ameiurus-melas/ (accessed 7 September 2026).
Data sources and funding are listed in the Acknowledgments.
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