bowfin (Amia calva), also called grindle, mudfish, or dogfish, freshwater fish of the order Amiiformes (superorder Holostei); it is the only living representative of its family (Amiidae), which dates back to the Jurassic Period (199.6 to 145.5 million years ago). The bowfin is a voracious fish found in sluggish North American waters from the Great Lakes southward to the Gulf of Mexico.
The bowfin is mottled green and brown and has a long dorsal fin and strong conical teeth. The female reaches a length of 75 centimetres (30 inches); the smaller male is distinguished by a black tail spot circled with orange. The bowfin spawns in spring. The male constructs a crude nest among vegetation and guards both the fertilized eggs and the newly hatched young.
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