The Hardhead Catfish (Ariopsis felis) is a species of sea catfish from the northwest Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. It is one of four species in the genus Ariopsis. The common name, hardhead catfish, is derived from the presence of a hard, bony plate extending rearward toward the dorsal fin from a line between the catfish's eyes.
Usually no more than 12 inches in length with a brownish to gray-green bodth, with a white to yellowish belly or underside. Hardhead Catfish also have three prominent, sharp spines (one at beginning of dorsal fin and one on each pectoral fin). The spines do not have fleshy filaments. There are also four barbels on bottom of chin, and 2 barbels at the bottom corner or tip of mouth.
Hardhead catfish are found mostly in the near-shore waters of the Western Atlantic Ocean, around the southeast coast of the United States, around the Florida Keys and the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Hardhead catfish are also found in brackish estuaries and river mouths where the bottom is sandy or muddy, but only occasionally enter freshwater. It tends to move from shallower to deeper waters in the winter months.
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