The Freckled Madtom is found in Gulf Coast drainages from Texas to Alabama, including the Mobile Basin, as well as in the Mississippi River Drainage to Iowa, including the Tennessee and Cumberland river drainages. They live over gravel and sandy substrates with woody debris in creeks to medium rivers. As the common name suggests, Freckled Madtoms have speckles on their body. As members of the catfish family, all madtoms have whiskers (barbels) around their mouth with taste buds that aid in finding food. Like all members of the genus Noturus, Freckled Madtoms are smaller catfish reaching a maximum size of 5.75 inches.