Neosho Madtom
(Federally listed as Threatened)
Description:
The Neosho Madtom is a small catfish that rarely exceed three
inches in length. Its coloration is a yellowish-tan background
mottled with darker brown markings and four brown “saddles”
along its back. Its head is relatively broad and flat, and it
has a large dorsal (back) fin. It feeds on aquatic insects and
invertebrates and is most active at night.
Habitat: The Neosho Madtom is found gravel-bottom riffles and
runs in the Neosho River system. It spends most of its time on
the bottom of the channel moving and hiding around stones and
cobble.
Current and Historic Distribution: Currently, the Neosho Madtom
can be found in Oklahoma only within a fourteen mile reach of
the Neosho River near the Oklahoma/Kansas state line and well
above Grand Lake. Most of the population occurs in the Neosho
River in Kansas, and a small population may occur in the Spring
River in Missouri. Historically, the Neosho Madtom was found
throughout the Neosho, Spring and Illinois rivers in Kansas,
Oklahoma, Missouri, and northwestern Arkansas.
Reasons for Decline: Reservoir construction appears to have had
the greatest impact on the Neosho Madtom’s population. The
construction of Grand, Hudson, Fort Gibson and Tenkiller
reservoirs has permanently inundated most of the madtom’s
historic habitat in Oklahoma and rendered it too deep to be
suitable. Reservoir construction also has altered seasonal flow
patterns and reduced the water temperatures below dams –
especially below Lake Tenkiller.
County by County List of Endangered and Threatened Species
US Fish and Wildlife Endangered Species Lists