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Catfish species live in freshwater and are found on every continent except for Antarctica. There are also a few Catfish species that live in saltwater. The Catfish can be recognized on its well-known and prominent barbells. The barbells are elongated tactile organs located close to the mouth; quite similar to the whiskers on a cat. Just like the cat's whiskers, the barbells are used to screen the environment and heighten the animal's awareness of its surroundings. The barbells are equipped with taste buds and the Catfish use the barbells when catching fish in dark and cloudy waters where the visibility is low. The Catfish species are not the only one with barbells; barbells are also found on several carps, the goatfish and a few shark species.
Catfish species live in freshwater and are found on every continent except for Antarctica. There are also a few Catfish species that live in saltwater. The Catfish can be recognized on its well-known and prominent barbells. The barbells are elongated tactile organs located close to the mouth; quite similar to the whiskers on a cat. Just like the cat's whiskers, the barbells are used to screen the environment and heighten the animal's awareness of its surroundings. The barbells are equipped with taste buds and the Catfish use the barbells when catching fish in dark and cloudy waters where the visibility is low. The Catfish species are not the only one with barbells; barbells are also found on several carps, the goatfish and a few shark species.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catfish
http://msucares.com/aquaculture/catfish/biology.html
http://fishing.about.com/od/catfish/a/flathead_catfis.htm
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/catfish.aspx
http://www.discoverboating.com/resources/article.aspx?id=266