POPULATION STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION OF SPOTTED BULLHEAD AMEIURUS SERRACANTHUS IN NORTH FLORIDA RIVERS

Spotted bullhead Ameiurus serracanthus were collected from the Suwannee, Ochlockonee, Apalachicola, Choctawhatchee, and Yellow rivers. No spotted bullhead were collected from either the Escambia or St. Marys rivers. The highest mean relative abundance of spotted bullhead was observed in the Suwannee River (1.72 fish/minute) compared to the Yellow River where only five individuals were collected in four years of sampling. The Apalachicola River exhibited a very low relative abundance of spotted bullhead (0.5 fish/minute) in most years. Between 13% (Suwannee River) and 23% (Choctawhatchee River) of all spotted bullhead collected were greater than 23 cm, total length, the previously assumed maximum size. Two spotted bullheads collected from the Suwannee (335 mm; 646g) and the Ochlockonee (338 mm; 588 g) rivers are the largest reported specimens collected to date.