Northern sunfish | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Perciformes |
Family: | Centrarchidae |
Genus: | Lepomis |
Species: | L. peltastes |
Binomial name | |
Lepomis peltastes Cope, 1870 | |
The northern sunfish (Lepomis peltastes) 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 (Lepomis megalotis) but is often considered to be a separate species. [2] However, this change remains controversial. [3]
The northern sunfish (Lepomis peltastes) and the longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis) contain very few physical variations. Both are generally small, vibrantly scaled fish with bright, elongated opercular flaps which give the fish an appearance of an "ear", which is a key factor in differentiating the two fishes. The opercular flaps of Lepomis peltastes tend to have an outline of white and red, while Lepomis megalotis outlines are strictly white. Although each species coloration is nearly identical, the patterns which form from these colors are not. The northern sunfish tends to have more of a lateral stripe and speckled turquoise pattern along its sides, while the longear sunfish tends to have spotting on its sides, still in turquoise. Each fish also has "war paint" all the way from the mouth to the edge of the gill flap in the same color as the speckles or spots. Both also contain olive sides and bright orange bellies. These few differences between Lepomis peltastes and Lepomis megalotis leave these fish incredibly hard to distinguish from one another. [4] In all other aspects, these fish look near identical.
The northern sunfish is usually regarded as a subspecies of the longear sunfish due to little and/or improper justification as to why this fish should be elevated as a separate species. [5] The assertion, brought about by Carl Leavitt Hubbs over three decades ago, has yet to be clarified with ichthyologists.
Northern sunfish, as the name suggests, inhabits the northernmost portions of the United States, such as the Saint Lawrence River and the Great Lakes Region, as well as the Hudson Bay, Mississippi River, and portions of Ontario, Canada. This fish is found in generally small, quiet, temperate streams or rivers with sandy banks or rocky bottoms. It prefers to be near vegetation where they can avoid strong currents. [6]
Northern sunfish are more omnivorous than other sunfishes, but mostly feed on insects and other invertebrates found in or near the water. [7] They have been known to prey on mites, microcrustaceans, fish eggs, mollusks, filamentous algae, and smaller fish. Lepomis peltastes is well known for feeding at the water's surface more frequently than other sunfish.
Lepomis peltastes is listed as threatened (since 1979) by the state of Wisconsin. This is the only state with a formal recognition of this status condition. [8] High water turbidity, agricultural runoff and pollution could be factors in this. Minnesota evaluated the fish's spotty distribution in their streams, and reported that Lepomis peltastes was dependent on incredibly specific water conditions. [9] A push to list the species as special concern has risen from Minnesota's findings.
The bluegill, sometimes referred to as "bream," "brim," "sunny," or "copper nose" as is common in Texas, 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.
The Ocmulgee River is a western tributary of the Altamaha River, approximately 255 mi (410 km) long, in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the westernmost major tributary of the Altamaha. It was formerly known by its Hitchiti name of Ocheese Creek, from which the Creek (Muscogee) people derived their name.
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.
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.
The warmouth is a freshwater fish of the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) that is found throughout the eastern United States. Other local names include molly, redeye, goggle-eye, red-eyed bream, and strawberry perch.
The redbreast sunfish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of 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).
The green sunfish 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.
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".
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.
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).
Kiamichi shiner is a species of fish in the carp family, Cyprinidae. It is native to the United States, where it is known only from Arkansas and Oklahoma.
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.
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.
Laughery Creek is an 88.6-mile-long (142.6 km) stream that flows through Ripley, Dearborn, and Ohio counties in southeastern Indiana, and is a tributary of the Ohio River.
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.