Fish
Tadpole Madtom
Noturus gyrinus · also called tadpole madtoms
Tucked among the submerged vegetation of a quiet pond, a tadpole madtom looks almost more like an amphibian larva than a fish, a stout, rounded little catfish that has parlayed an unusual taste for still water into the widest range of any madtom species in North America.
Overview
The tadpole madtom, Noturus gyrinus, is a small, stout-bodied catfish native to ponds, lakes, and slow-moving vegetated water across a broad range of the eastern and central United States and southern Canada. Its distinctive tadpole-like shape, unusual preference for still water among typically stream-loving madtoms, and status as the most widely distributed species in its genus make it one of the more successful small catfish on the continent.
A madtom that broke from the family habit
While most of its madtom relatives cling to flowing streams and rivers, the tadpole madtom found success in exactly the opposite kind of water, a preference for calm, vegetated ponds and lakes that has let it spread further across the continent than any other species in its genus.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and stable across suitable still and slow-moving vegetated water throughout its very broad range in the eastern and central United States and southern Canada.
Tadpole Madtom: common questions
Why is it called a tadpole madtom?
This species has an unusually stout, rounded body that tapers quickly toward a small tail, a shape that resembles a tadpole considerably more than the slender, elongated body typical of most catfish, including most other madtom species, which is exactly where the common name comes from.
Can a tadpole madtom sting you?
Yes, like other madtoms, this species carries venom glands associated with grooved spines in its pectoral and dorsal fins, and mishandling one can deliver a genuinely painful sting, though it is not considered medically dangerous to a healthy adult beyond localised pain and swelling.
Why does the tadpole madtom prefer still water?
This species is unusual among madtoms for favouring still or slow-moving vegetated water such as ponds, lakes, and quiet backwaters, rather than the flowing streams many of its close relatives prefer, a habitat preference that has likely helped it achieve the broadest range of any madtom species across North America.
How big does a tadpole madtom get?
This species is among the smallest madtoms and smallest catfish in North America, typically reaching only around 8 to 10 centimetres in length as a full adult, considerably smaller than many other catfish species found in the same waters.