|
|
|
|
|
Spring River Basin - Neosho Madtom The Neosho Madtom (Noturus placidus)
For more information on the Neosho Madtom, visit http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/endangered/endanger/madtom/. Image source: http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/endangered/endanger/madtom/ |
|
Elk River | James River | Sac River | Spring River | North Fork Salt River |
|
Missouri Watershed Information Network (MoWIN) |
Page last updated August 26, 2008 |
This fish is the smallest catfish in Missouri
and lives at the bottom of the stream between rocks and gravel as shelter. Adults range
from 1.8 to 3.0 inches long. Madtoms do not
spend a great deal of time swimming and are most active at night, when they come out to
eat aquatic insects and invertebrate larvae. The Neosho madtom is listed as endangered by the state of
Missouri and threatened by the Federal Government. This species is struggling due to problems
associated with gravel removal in streams, drought, chemical pollutants in the water,
nutrient loading from nearby fields, and sporadic changes in the flow of the river.
Strategies for improving current populations of this fish include restoring riffle
habitat, maintaining the base flow of the stream, restoring riparian vegetation, and
improving sand and gravel removal practices. 
