Range and Identity
Noturus exilis occurs in selected Green, Cumberland and Tennessee drainage areas and in parts of the upper Mississippi, Ozark and Ouachita regions. These separated areas should retain their individual drainage names rather than being treated as one uniformly occupied range.
Habitat and Behavior
Adults use rocky riffles, runs and flowing pools in clear creeks and small rivers. Occasional spring and wave-swept impoundment-edge records also occur. Those less frequent settings complement the primary stream account without establishing that every spring or reservoir supports the species.
Food and Life History
The reported maximum is fifteen centimeters total length, with 10.2 centimeters as a common reference. Foods include immature midges, mayflies and caddisflies together with isopods, amphipods and copepods. A maximum age of four years is reported in the summary.
Field Note
Record both the drainage and the immediate current setting. A clear stream pool, rocky run and wave-washed reservoir margin describe different observations even when the species identification is the same.
All Lakes With Slender Madtom
Browse lakes and reservoirs with documented Slender Madtom records, listed alphabetically. Records do not establish current abundance or public access. Check the evidence and managing authority for the water you choose.
No published lakes are currently linked to this species in our confirmed records.