What species of catfish live in the Bay?
Five species of catfish can be found in the Bay. • The blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus, has a bluish-gray body and a silvery white belly. Its barbels are black, and the pair at the corners of the mouth is twice as long as the other pairs. It usually grows to less than 2 feet, but can be as long as 5.5 feet and weigh as much as 100 pounds. • The white catfish, Ameiurus catus, has a grayish-brown body and white belly. Its barbels are pale-colored, and it usually grows to about 12 to 13 inches, but can be up to 2 feet long. • The channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, has a bluish-gray body and white belly, with olive-colored fins and small, dark spots scattered across the sides. Its barbels are light-colored, and it usually grows to about 2 feet, but can be as long as 4 feet and weigh more than 50 pounds. • The brown bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus, has a mottled brown or black body and yellowish-white belly. Its barbels are dark-colored, and it usually grows to about a foot, but can be as
