Distribution of Fishes in the Red River of the North Basin on Multivariate Environmental Gradients

Ictaluridae

Brown Bullhead

Ameiurus nebulosus (Lesueur), the brown bullhead, was reported from the "North Red River" near latitude 46° in 1857 (SI 1994). Woolman (1896) collected the species from the Red, Forest, Goose, Maple, Sheyenne, Otter Tail, and Buffalo Rivers, where it was reported as abundant by locals almost everywhere inquiry was made (Figure A48). Hankinson (1928) and Wilson (1950) described it as common in the Sheyenne River. The brown bullhead has been taken from sites all across the basin. The species has a more widespread distribution than A. natalis, the yellow bullhead; but it is far less common than the black bullhead, having been found at only 9% of stream sites sampled in the basin since 1962 (Table 4). Typical site collections have contained 5-10 individuals, but the species has been abundant at times, as more than 100 individuals were collected at sites on the Rabbit and Mustinka Rivers in 1975.

Figure A48. Distribution of the brown bullhead in streams of the Red River of the North basin.

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