Diurnal Habitat Associations of the Madtoms Noturus albater, N. exilis, N. flavater and N. flavus in Missouri Ozarks Streams

Abstract

Abstract Few published studies detail the biology and natural history of the madtoms (Noturus spp.), and information about their habitat requirements is even more scarce. We described diurnal habitat use for N. exilis, N. albater and N. flavater in Jacks Fork River and N. exilis and N. flavus in Big Piney River, Missouri. Madtoms were captured incidentally with a 1-m2 quadrat sampler while conducting quantitative crayfish sampling from June–September 1995–2000. Sampling was stratified among five macrohabitats, and microhabitat measurements were recorded with each sample. A total of 2206 samples yielded 476 madtoms. Noturus exilis was most common in both rivers, occupied all macrohabitats and used a wide range of depths and current velocities. During late summer it increased use of backwater pools and emergent vegetation patches. Noturus albater was largely rheophilic and used shallow depths (0.06–0.57 m) and high current velocities (0.00–0.60 m/s). Noturus flavater was uncommon and associated with deep wa...