Green sunfish

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Green sunfish
Lepomis cyanellus Raver.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Centrarchidae
Genus: Lepomis
Species:
L. cyanellus
Binomial name
Lepomis cyanellus
Rafinesque, 1819

The green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) is a species of aggressive freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. A panfish popular with anglers, the green sunfish is also kept as an aquarium fish by hobbyists, they need a 55-75 gallon tank and can be fed minnows, mealworms, or nightcrawlers. They are usually caught by accident, while fishing for other game fish. Green sunfish can be caught with live bait, such as nightcrawlers, waxworms, mealworms, and blood worms. Grocery store baits, such as pieces of hot dog or corn kernels, can even catch fish. Green sunfish are aggressive and will hit small lures. They can be caught with fly fishing tackle. They are extremely aggressive and will attack swimmers. They usually get 10 inches long, but in some cases they can get 12 inches long.

Contents

Geographic distribution

The green sunfish is native to a wide area of North America, from the Rocky Mountains in the west to the Appalachian Mountains in the east and from the Hudson Bay basin in Canada to the Gulf Coast in the United States and northern Mexico. [2] [3] They are specifically indigenous to a number of lakes and rivers, such as the Great Lakes and some of the basins of the Mississippi River.

Green sunfish have been introduced to many bodies of water all across the United States. [4] The green sunfish is considered an invasive species by the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia and New Jersey, [2] with unconfirmed presence in Vermont and New Hampshire, namely the Connecticut River and its tributaries. [5] Their invasive potential is due in part to their penchant for chasing other sunfish away from mutually preferred habitat of submerged vegetation, a form of interference competition, [6] [7] their relatively large mouth, [8] high fecundity and ability to tolerate sediment pollution. In the state of New Jersey, as of 2021, anglers must destroy green sunfish when caught and should report their catch to a state fisheries biologist. [9] In the state of Florida, a permit is required in order to possess green sunfish as it is listed as a prohibited non-native species there. [10] L. cyanellus has been transplanted to countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe, where it has become established in some. [2]

A juvenile GreenSunfish2.jpg
A juvenile

Description

The green sunfish is blue-green in color on its back and sides with yellow-flecked bony-ridged (ctenoid) scales, as well as yellow coloration on the ventral sides. The gill covers and sides of head have broken bright blue stripes, causing some to mistakenly confuse them with bluegill. They also have a dark spot located near the back end of the dorsal fin, the bases of the anal fins. [11] and on the ear plate. It has a relatively big mouth and long snout that extends to beneath the middle of the eye. [12] Its pectoral fins are short with rounded edges containing 13 to 14 pectoral fin rays, a dorsal fin with about 10 dorsal spines and a homocercal tail. The typical length ranges from about 3–7 in and the fish usually weighs less than a pound. The green sunfish reaches a maximum recorded length of about 30 cm (12 in), with a maximum recorded weight of 960 g (2.12 lb). Identification of sunfish species from one another can sometimes be difficult as these species frequently hybridize. [13]

Habitat

Green sunfish from Walnut Point State Park, east-central Illinois Green sunfish from Walnut Point State Park, east-central Illinois.jpg
Green sunfish from Walnut Point State Park, east-central Illinois

The species prefers areas in sluggish backwaters, lakes, and ponds with gravel, sand, or bedrock bottoms. They also can be found in very muddy waters and are able to tolerate poor water conditions. Green sunfish tend to spend their time hiding around rocks, submerged logs, plants, and other things that provide cover.

Diet

Its diet can include aquatic insects and larvae, insects that fall into the water, crayfish, snails, other molluscs, [2] turtle food, frogs, [2] some small fish, fish eggs, bryozoans, [2] zooplankton, other small invertebrates, and sometimes plant material. [2] They are omnivores.

Reproduction

Adult Lepomis cyanellus UMFS 2014 3.JPG
Adult

Green sunfish begin spawning in the summer with the exact time varying with location and water temperature. When they do spawn, the males create nests in shallow water by clearing depressions in the bottom, [14] often near a type of shelter such as rocks or submerged logs. [15] The male defends his nest from other males using visual displays and physical force when necessary. [16] On occasion, simply constructing a nest is sufficient for the male to attract a mate, but when it is not he will court a female with grunts and lead her to his nest.

They continue their courtship dance, swimming with each other around the nest until the female descends to deposit her eggs in the nest. The female will lay 2,000 to 26,000 eggs and leave them for the male to guard. He keeps watch over them until they hatch in three to five days, while protecting them and fanning them with his fins, keeping them clean and providing them with oxygenated water. When they hatch, the fry remain near the nest for a few days, then leave to feed and fend for themselves. [15] After the eggs have hatched, the male will often seek to attract another female to lay her eggs in his nest. Lepomis cyanellus typically live between 4 and 6 years in the wild. [17]

Green sunfish tend to nest in areas close to other green sunfish, as well as other species of sunfish. Due to the close proximity of multiple nests, a green sunfish female may deposit some of her eggs into the nest of a male of a different species. This in turn leads to the next generation containing some amount of hybrids. [15] These green sunfish hybrids will often look like a combination of their parents, often making it difficult to distinguish one species from another. [18]

Anatomy and physiology

The retina of the green sunfish includes a mosaic of cone cells and double cone cells in a regular arrangement. [19] The green sunfish has been theorized to have vision that is sensitive to the polarization of light, [20] which could enhance visibility of targets in scattering media if a processing technique called polarization difference imaging is employed by the fish. [21] Experimental evidence, however, suggests that green sunfish are not able to visually discriminate on the basis of light polarization. [22] Thus, the function of the green sunfish's retinal patterning is not known, although the two different types of cone cell present in green sunfish do facilitate color discrimination. [22]

IGFA records

The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) all tackle world record for the species stands at 0.96 kg (2 lb 2 oz), caught from Stockton Lake, Missouri in 1971. [23]

Etymology

The generic name Lepomis derives from the Greek λεπίς (scale) and πώμα (cover, plug, operculum). The specific epithet, cyanellus, derives from the Greek κυανός (blue).

Aquaria

Likely the most aggressive sunfish. Difficult to keep with other green sunfishes, other sunfishes, or even other perciform fishes in general unless kept in very spacious aquaria or ponds. [24] [25] Like many fishes, more tolerant of distantly related species (i.e., catfishes and minnows), if too large to be eaten. Very aware of environment outside of aquarium, making it an engaging "wet pet." Accepts a variety of foods (flakes, pellets, krill, brine shrimp, bloodworms, and live prey). [26] [27] [28]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centrarchidae</span> Family of fishes

Centrarchidae, better known as sunfishes, is a family of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the order Perciformes, native only to North America. There are eight universally included genera within the centrarchid family: Lepomis, Micropterus, Pomoxis (crappies), Enneacanthus, Centrarchus, Archoplites, Ambloplites, and Acantharchus. A genetic study in 2012 suggests that the highly distinct pygmy sunfishes of the genus Elassoma are also centrarchids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crappie</span> Common name for two species of game fish

Crappies are two species of North American freshwater fish of the genus Pomoxis in the family Centrarchidae (sunfishes). Both species of crappies are popular game fish among recreational anglers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flathead catfish</span> Species of fish

The flathead catfish, also called by several common names including mudcat or shovelhead cat, is a large species of North American freshwater catfish in the family Ictaluridae. It is the only species of the genus Pylodictis. Ranging from the lower Great Lakes region to northern Mexico, it has been widely introduced and is an invasive species in some areas. The closest living relative of the flathead catfish is the much smaller widemouth blindcat, Satan eurystomus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluegill</span> Species of fish

The bluegill, sometimes referred to as "bream", "brim", "sunny", or, as is common in Texas, "copper nose", is a species of North American freshwater fish, native to and commonly found in streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and wetlands east of the Rocky Mountains. It is the type species of the genus Lepomis, from the family Centrarchidae in the order Perciformes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panfish</span> Pan-sized freshwater fish

The word panfish, also spelled pan-fish or pan fish, is an American English term describing any edible freshwater fish that usually do not outgrow the size of an average frying pan. It is also commonly used by recreational anglers to refer to any small catch that can fit wholly into a pan but still large enough to be legal. The fish species that match this definition and usage vary according to geography. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term was first recorded in 1796 in American Cookery, the first known cookbook written by an American author.

<i>Lepomis</i> Genus of fishes

Lepomis or true sunfish is a genus of North American freshwater fish from the family Centrarchidae in the order Perciformes. The generic name Lepomis derives from the Greek λεπίς ("scale") and πῶμα. The genus' most recognizable type species is perhaps the bluegill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pumpkinseed</span> Species of fish

The pumpkinseed, also referred to as pond perch, common sunfish, punkie, sunfish, sunny, and kivver, is a small/medium-sized North American freshwater fish of the genus Lepomis, from family Centrarchidae in the order Perciformes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warmouth</span> Species of fish

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock bass</span> Species of freshwater fish

The rock bass, also known as the rock perch, goggle-eye, red eye, and black perch, is a freshwater fish native to east-central North America. This red-eyed fish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes and can be distinguished from other similar species by the six spines in the anal fin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow perch</span> Species of freshwater fish

The yellow perch, commonly referred to as perch, striped perch or preacher is a freshwater perciform fish native to much of North America. The yellow perch was described in 1814 by Samuel Latham Mitchill from New York. It is closely related, and morphologically similar to the European perch ; and is sometimes considered a subspecies of its European counterpart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redbreast sunfish</span> Species of fish

The redbreast sunfish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. The type species of its genus, it is native to the river systems of eastern Canada and the United States. The redbreast sunfish reaches a maximum recorded length of about 30 centimetres (12 in).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longear sunfish</span> Species of fish

The longear sunfish is a freshwater fish in the sunfish family, Centrarchidae, of order Perciformes. It is native to the area of eastern North America stretching from the Great Lakes down to northeastern Mexico. The longear sunfish reaches a maximum recorded length of about 24 cm (9.4 in), with a maximum recorded weight of 790 g (1.74 lb). Most do not live beyond six years. The longear sunfish is quite colorful, with an olive to rusty-brown back, bright orange belly and blue-green bars on the sides of its head. A unique characteristic is their elongated operculum flap, giving an appearance of a "long ear".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redear sunfish</span> Species of fish

The redear sunfish, also known as the shellcracker, Georgia bream, cherry gill, chinquapin, improved bream, rouge ear sunfish and sun perch) is a freshwater fish in the family Centrarchidae and is native to the southeastern United States. Since it is a popular sport fish, it has been introduced to bodies of water all over North America. It is known for its diet of mollusks and snails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orangespotted sunfish</span> Species of fish

The orangespotted sunfish is a North American species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. These fish are widely distributed across the middle and eastern United States, from the Rocky Mountains to the east, from the Great Lakes south into the Gulf Coast. The orangespotted sunfish is ecologically unique and thrives in turbid, shallow systems that have few predators and low oxygen contents. The species prefers vegetated areas in sluggish backwaters or lakes, and can also be found in turbid rivers. The orangespotted sunfish can extend its range in lower-quality waters, which is not characteristic to other sunfish. Orangespotted sunfish vary in total length and age for different river basin originations, but can be found to live four to seven years, and recorded lengths are up to 15 cm (5.9 in).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotted sunfish</span> Species of fish

The spotted sunfish, also known as a stumpknocker, is a member of the freshwater sunfish family Centrarchidae and order perciformes. The redspotted sunfish, redear sunfish and pumpkinseed sunfish are its closest relatives. Lepomis punctatus is olive-green to brown in color with black to reddish spots at the base of each scale that form rows of dots on the side. The scientific name punctatus refers to this spotted pattern. It was first described in 1831 by Valenciennes.

The redfin shiner is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae. The redfin shiner is most commonly found in the Ohio and Mississippi River basins, as well as in drainages of the Great Lakes. The diet of the redfin shiner consists mostly of algae and small insects. This species prefers calm water in low-gradient streams over substrates of gravel or sand with some vegetation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dollar sunfish</span> Species of fish

The dollar sunfish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. It is categorized as a warm water pan-fish. Early settlers said that this species of sunfish resembled a European species they called bream. Historically it has been found along the Southern Atlantic coastal drainages from North Carolina to Florida, and west to Texas. Lepomis marginatus mainly feeds on detritus and filamentous algae as well as a few terrestrial insects. The juvenile and mature fish do not have many predators, but the eggs in the nest are in danger of predation from a few different species of fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redspotted sunfish</span> Species of fish

The redspotted sunfish, also known as a stumpknocker, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a sunfish from the family Centrarchidae which is native to the United States. The redspotted sunfish was previously considered to be a western subspecies of spotted sunfish but was distinguished as a separate species by Warren in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern sunfish</span> Species of fish

The northern sunfish is a species of North American freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. Lepomis peltastes was traditionally recognized as a subspecies of longear sunfish but is often considered to be a separate species. However, this change remains controversial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greengill sunfish</span> Hybrid fish

The greengill sunfish is sometimes referred to as hybrid sunfish or bluegill x green sunfish hybrid. It is a hybrid between a bluegill and green sunfish. They can sometimes be found in ponds, lakes, or streams where there is both bluegill and green sunfish. They are also stocked in some ponds as gamefish and as pets.

References

  1. ↑ NatureServe (2019). "Lepomis cyanellus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T61248A58309866. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T61248A58309866.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Allen, Uma Sabapathy (20 November 2019). "Datasheet: Lepomis cyanellus (green sunfish)". Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  3. ↑ Fuller, Pam; Cannister, Matt; Neilson, Matt (14 August 2019). "Lepomis cyanellus (green sunfish)". Nonindigenous Aquatic Species. U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  4. ↑ (Page et al. 1991, p. 267).
  5. ↑ Electro-fishing surveys, NH DES.
  6. ↑ Ross, Stephen T. (2013). "Chapter Eleven, Interactions in Resource Acquisition I". Ecology of North American Freshwater Fishes. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 242–243. ISBN   978-0-520-24945-5.
  7. ↑ Werner, Earl E.; Hall, Donald J. (7 January 1977). "Response: Density and Competition among Sunfish: Some Alternatives". Science. 195 (4273): 94–95. doi:10.1126/science.195.4273.94.b. S2CID   239813025 . Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  8. ↑ Werner, Earl E.; Hall, Donald J. (1977). "Competition and Habitat Shift in Two Sunfishes (Centrarchidae)" . Ecology. 58 (4): 869–876. doi:10.2307/1936222. JSTOR   1936222 . Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  9. ↑ "2021 Regulations" (PDF). New Jersey Fish & Wildlife Digest, 2021 Freshwater Issue. Division of Fish & Wildlife, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. 2021. p. 17. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  10. ↑ "Fla. Admin. Code 68-5.006 & 68-5.007". Florida Administrative Code & Florida Administrative Register. Florida Department of State. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  11. ↑ (Philips et al. 1982, p. 208; Page et al. 1991, p. 267)
  12. ↑ (Philips et al. 1982, p. 208; Page et al. 1991, p. 267).
  13. ↑ (Philips et al. 1982, p. 208-209).
  14. ↑ (Philips et al. 1982, p. 209)
  15. 1 2 3 (Paulson 2004).
  16. ↑ (Paulson 2004)
  17. ↑ Clemons, Emily (2005). Dewey, Tanya; Harrel, Sherry (eds.). "Lepomis cyanellus (Green sunfish)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  18. ↑ (Philips et al. 1982, p. 209).
  19. ↑ Rowe, M.P.; Engheta, N.; Easter, S.S.; Pugh, E.N. (1994). "Graded-index model of a fish double cone exhibits differential polarization sensitivity" . Journal of the Optical Society of America A. 11 (1): 55–70. doi:10.1364/JOSAA.11.000055. PMID   8106915 . Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  20. ↑ Cameron, David A.; Pugh Jr., Edward N. (1991). "Double Cones As A Basis For A New Type Of Polarization Vision In Vertebrates" . Nature. 353 (6340): 161–164. doi:10.1038/353161a0. PMID   1891046. S2CID   4252617 . Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  21. ↑ Tyo, J. Scott (1997). Polarization difference imaging: A means for seeing through scattering media (PhD). University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  22. 1 2 Lynch, Eileen Mary (1998). Categorical color discrimination in the green sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus (PhD). University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  23. ↑ "Sunfish, green (Lepomis cyanellus)". igfa.org. International Game Fish Association. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  24. ↑ "Rating Sunfish Aggression". MonsterFishKeepers.com. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  25. ↑ Indiviglio, Frank (2012-12-13). "Sunfish Care - Keeping Pumpkinseeds, Bluegills and Their Relatives". That Fish Blog. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  26. ↑ young, adam. "Green Sunfish – The Complete Fishing and Species Guide". panfish nation. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  27. ↑ Smith, Rich (2021-09-14). "Green Sunfish 101: Care, Diet, Tank Size, Tank Mates & More". Aquarium Part. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
  28. ↑ "Green Sunfish". CT.gov - Connecticut's Official State Website. Retrieved 2022-07-21.

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