Ictaluridae

channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

One Hundred Thirty Two Centimeters Catfish from the Atlantic Ocean

• Tropical
• Northern Hemisphere
• Regional distribution
• Freshwater fish
• Atlantic Ocean
• North America
• Fusiform
• Large
• Tropical fish

The channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), known informally as the "channel cat", is a species of catfish native to North America. They are North America's most abundant catfish species, and the official state fish of Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Tennessee. The channel catfish is the most fished species of catfish in the United States, with around 8 million anglers angling them per year.