---
title: "Black Bullhead"
description: "Ameiurus melas — Pesci. The black bullhead or black bullhead catfish (Ameiurus melas) is a species of bullhead catfish."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/it/animal/black-bullhead
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Black Bullhead

> Ameiurus melas — Pesci. The black bullhead or black bullhead catfish  (Ameiurus melas) is a species of bullhead catfish.

- Scientific name: *Ameiurus melas*
- Category: `fish` (Pesci)
- Habitats: `freshwater` (Laghi e fiumi)
- iNaturalist observations: 4232
- Wikidata: [Q998380](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q998380)
- iNaturalist taxon: [82278](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/82278)

## Names

- en: Black Bullhead
- de: Schwarzer Zwergwels
- es: Bagre torito negro
- fr: Poisson-chat commun
- nl: Zwarte dwergmeerval
- pl: Sumik czarny

## Countries with the most observations

US (2461), FR (376), IT (181), CA (132), ES (111), PT (106), HU (65), RO (38), HR (26), RS (22), BG (15), UA (15)

## Summary

The black bullhead or black bullhead catfish  (Ameiurus melas) is a species of bullhead catfish. Like other bullhead catfish, it has the ability to thrive in waters that are low in oxygen, brackish, turbid, and/or very warm. It also has barbels located near its mouth, a broad head, spiny fins, and no scales. It can be identified from other bullheads as the barbels are black, and it has a tan crescent around the tail. Its caudal fin is truncated (squared off at the corners). Like virtually all catfish, it is nocturnal, preferring to feed at night, although young feed during the day.  It generally does not get as large…

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_bullhead

## Photo

![Black Bullhead](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/black-bullhead/medium.jpg)

Photo: TheMongrelKoi · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/82633524

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/black-bullhead?lang=it` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).