Original description as Silrus punctatus:
- Rafinesque, Constantine Samuel. 1818. "Further discoveries in natural history, made during a journey through the western region of the United States". American Monthly Magazine and Critical Review. 3(6):445-447(oct) (ffm04556)
Synonyms (3):
- Pimelodus caudafurcatus Lesueur, 1819, with type locality at Wabash River and Mississippi River, U.S.A. Determiner: La Rivers, 1994
- Pimelodus argyrus Rafinesque, 1820, with type locality at Ohio River, U.S.A. Determiner: Gilbert, 1998
- Silurus argentinus Rafinesque, 1820, with type locality at Lower parts of Ohio River, U.S.A. Determiner: Gilbert, 1998
- Silurus maculatus var. erythroptera Rafinesque, 1820, with type locality at Ohio River, U.S.A. Determiner: Gilbert, 1998
- Silurus (Pimelodus) borealis Richardson, 1836, with type locality at Pine Island Lake [Cumberland Lake] (N. Lat. 54°), Saskatchewan, Canada. Determiner: Gilbert, 1998
- Pimelodus furcifer Valenciennes, 1840, with type locality at North America. Determiner: Gilbert, 1998
- Pimelodus graciosus Girard, 1859, with type locality at Prairie Mer Rouge, Morehouse Parish, Louisiana, U.S.A. Determiner: La Rivers, 1994
- Pimelodus houghi Girard, 1859, with type locality at Oswegatchie River and Indian River, and other streams and lakes tributary to St. Lawrence River, New York, U.S.A. Determiner: Smith, 1986
- Synechoglanis beadlei Gill, 1859, with type locality at St. Catherines, between Hamilton and Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Determiner: La Rivers, 1994
- Pimelodus hammondii Abbott, 1861, with type locality at Fort Reily [Fort Riley], Kansas, U.S.A. Determiner: La Rivers, 1994
- Ictalurus anguilla Evermann & Kendall, 1898, with type locality at Atchafalaya River, above Morgan City [= Morganza], Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, U.S.A. Determiner: Gilbert, 1998
Conservation: Ictalurus punctatus is not evaluated by the international union for the conservation of nature in the iucn red list of threatened species.