Ictalurus furcatus

The blue catfish is the largest species of North American catfish, reaching a length of 165 cm and a weight of 68 kg. The typical length is about 25–46 in. The fish can live to 20 years. The native distribution of blue catfish is primarily in the Mississippi River drainage, including the Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, and Arkansas Rivers, The Des Moines River in South Central Iowa, and the Rio Grande, and south along the Gulf Coast to Belize and Guatemala.