Freckled Madtom
Noturus nocturnus
About This Fish

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.

Literature

Willink, P.W., F.M. Veraldi, and J.B. Ladonski. 2006. Rediscovery of the freckled madtom Noturus nocturnus Jordan & Gilbert in the Des Plaines River, Illinois. Transactions of the Illinois Academy of Science. 99:169-173. Willink, P.W., F.M. Veraldi, and J.B. Ladonski. 2006. Rediscovery of the freckled madtom Noturus nocturnus Jordan & Gilbert in the Des Plaines River, Illinois. Transactions of the Illinois Academy of Science. 99:169-173.

Bowler, M.C. 2003. Recent observations of the distribution and status of freckled madtom and first record of spotted gar in Iowa. Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science. 110(3-4):40-43. https://scholarworks.uni.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1081&context=jias

Lemmons, R.P. 1991. Extension of ranges into Kiowa County, Oklahoma, for the dusky darter (Percina sciera) and the freckled madtom (Noturus nocturnus). Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science. 71:47-48. http://ojs.library.okstate.edu/osu/index.php/OAS/article/viewFile/5481/5107

Paragamian, V.L. 1986. First Record of Freckled Madtom (Noturus nocturnus) in Iowa. Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science. 93:21. https://scholarworks.uni.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1076&context=pias

Orth, D.J. 1980. Range extensions of the orangethroat darter (Etheostoma spectabile) and the freckled madtom (Noturus nocturnus) into western Oklahoma. Proceedings of the Oklahoma Academy of Science. 60:98-99. http://ojs.library.okstate.edu/osu/index.php/OAS/article/download/5177/4846