Black Bullhead

Family: 
Ictaluridae (bullhead catfishes) in the order Siluriformes (catfishes)
Description: 

Smooth, scaleless skin and barbels, or “whiskers,” around the mouth, like all catfish. Only young, spawning males are truly black; dark greenish brown is the most common coloration. Square tail and a rounded anal fin.

Size: 
Total length: to 16 inches; weight: 2-3 pounds.
Habitat and conservation: 
Prefer turbid, silty water with little or no current.
Foods: 
Omnivorous bottom feeders, eating insects, mollusks, crustaceans, fish and plant material, including dead and decaying matter.
Distribution in Missouri: 
Throughout most of the state, but concentrated in northeast and central Missouri; absent in extreme south central region.
Status: 
Common.
Life cycle: 
Spawns in May or June with one or both parents selecting and guarding nest sites beneath logs or in weedy cover.
Human connections: 
Anglers pursue black bullhead with a variety of methods, including trot or jug lines and rod and reel.
Ecosystem connections: 
As a bottom feeder, this species aids in the decomposition process and nutrient cycling.