(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
                            Species catfish, gafftopsail
                                 Species Id M010081
                                   Date 27 AUG 96



TAXONOMY

NAME -                 catfish, gafftopsail

OTHER COMMON NAMES -   Bigmouth catfish and gafftop

ELEMENT CODE -         

CATEGORY -             Fish

PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - Chordata, Verebrata

CLASS AND SUBCLASS  -  Osteichthyes,  

ORDER AND SUBORDER  -  Siluriformes,  

FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - Ariidae, 

GENUS AND SUBGENUS  -  Bagre,  

SPECIES AND SSP -      marinus,  

SCIENTIFIC NAME -      Bagre marinus 

AUTHORITY -            Mitchill

TAXONOMY REFERENCES -  79 


























                                    Taxonomy - 1
                                  (DRAFT) - Status
                            Species catfish, gafftopsail
                                 Species Id M010081
                                   Date 27 AUG 96



STATUS

Coded Status
See Comments                                          


REFERENCES FOR STATUS - 79

COMMENTS ON STATUS -
Gafftopsail catfish are not favored sport or food fishes; however, their
widespread distribution and abundance along the nearshore coast from
southern Florida to western Texas cause them to rank high in trawl and
saltwater angler catches in the Gulf of Mexico.*79*







































                                     Status - 1
                               (DRAFT) - Distribution
                            Species catfish, gafftopsail
                                 Species Id M010081
                                   Date 27 AUG 96



DISTRIBUTION




















































                                  Distribution - 1
     
HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS




























































                            Habitat Associations - 1
                                (DRAFT) - Food Habits
                            Species catfish, gafftopsail
                                 Species Id M010081
                                   Date 27 AUG 96



FOOD HABITS




















































                                   Food Habits - 1
                         (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
                            Species catfish, gafftopsail
                                 Species Id M010081
                                   Date 27 AUG 96



ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS




















































                            Environment Associations - 1
                               (DRAFT) - Life History
                            Species catfish, gafftopsail
                                 Species Id M010081
                                   Date 27 AUG 96



LIFE HISTORY




















































                                  Life History - 1
                           (DRAFT) - Management Practices
                            Species catfish, gafftopsail
                                 Species Id M010081
                                   Date 27 AUG 96



MANAGEMENT PRACTICES




















































                              Management Practices - 1
                                   (DRAFT) - References
                               Species catfish, gafftopsail
                                    Species Id M010081
                                      Date 27 AUG 96



     
References

     79* Muncy, R. J., W. M. Wingo. 1983. Species Profiles: Life
     Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and
     Invertebrates (Gulf of Mexico) -- Sea Catfish and Gafftopsail
     Catfish. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biol. Rep. 82(11.5) pp 17.














































                                      References - 1