Which Madtom Specie(s)?(load heavy, lots of pictures)

[nvcichlids]

I went out fishing this morning in a river and notice some little catfish darting between rocks, I pulled out my little net to check and these are what I had found. First a locational image incase that might help ID. I caught about 20-30 different catfish.. In the water they were all yellowish green with white lower wiskers and atleast one dark saddle across the back (didn't come through well in the pictures...() Any help would be great!

[Unungy]

I don't know much about them but I just wanted to say that it looks super cool.
good catch, I'm sure someone will know more about them.

Saul

[nvcichlids]

my first thought was Noturus exilis, but I am seriously having a hard time.. currently paging through my books to try to ID...

[Silurus]

You're right. They are N. exilis.

[nvcichlids]

thanks for that ID... it is good to actually find them in my state, they are extremely endangered here in Wisconsin, and with reports I had read, the odds of finding one is extremely slim even if you are in the areas they are located, so when I stumbled upon 20-30 individuals, I was second guessing my ID's

[Birger]

and with reports I had read, the odds of finding one is extremely slim even if you are in the areas they are located, so when I stumbled upon 20-30 individuals,

The key must be the ckear running stream with an apparent lack (thankfully) of siltation.

Great find!

Birger

[nvcichlids]

in certain parts of this stream, there is a lot of siltation, which is why I think I found them in this one section and not anywhere else (did find a couple stonecats in other locations)

[jimoo]

Please send documentation of the find to the WDNR Natural Heritage Program, part of the Bureau of Endangered Resources. I used to work for them, that was a great job. Anyway, they track these "occurrences" and work to protect them, when they can.