Orangespotted sunfish

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Orangespotted sunfish
Orangespottednctc.png
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Centrarchidae
Genus: Lepomis
Species:
L. humilis
Binomial name
Lepomis humilis
(Girard, 1858)
Synonyms [2]

Bryttus humilisGirard, 1858

The orangespotted sunfish (Lepomis humilis) is a North American species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. [3] 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. [3] The orangespotted sunfish is ecologically unique and thrives in turbid, shallow systems that have few predators and low oxygen contents. [4] 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. [5] 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). [6]

Contents

Males make grunting noises to attract females to mate, [7] and are known to nest in ‘colonies’ or aggregations. [8] Spawning patterns are similar to those of other sunfish. [5] Due to the wide distribution of this fish, the species is not endangered and management plans are almost nonexistent presently. The orangespotted sunfish has been introduced to many habitats, such as rivers in Florida, Alabama, Texas, Colorado, Michigan, and Canada.

Geographic distribution

In North America, this species is common in many places; it ranges from the Great Lakes to Hudson Bay, from the Mississippi River down to the Gulf Coast and in the Colorado River from Alabama to Texas. [3] [4] [7] Some studies find that, in general, orangespotted sunfish tend to live in turbid, long, large lakes, which is evident by its geographic distribution. [4] [9] The orangespotted sunfish is found in the Canard River near Ontario, Canada, though it is an introduced species. [10] In Texas, this species has been introduced in the past as far south as the Rio Grande basin. [11]

Ecology

The orangespotted sunfish prefers to reside in shallow, silt-laden waters such as floodplain pools, [10] [12] or waters with fine substrates such as sand. [8] As species of the fish age and develop, they explore new territories and expand their ecological limits through migration. [10] The dominant prey of orangespotted sunfish includes insects, such as corixids and chironomids, zooplankton, other small invertebrates that live in the water column, and fish. [4] [9] Though orangespotted sunfish can be found in different parts of a lake, their prey items do not vary much throughout the lake compared to other sunfish species. [9] If reared in an environment with altered prey availability, the species has been found to show phenotypic plasticity or morphological differences in response to this changed environmental condition. [13] Certain prey types require different methods of prey capture, so as the orangespotted sunfish develop, their body can be more elongated with an angled snout, or more deep-bodied with a blunt snout, depending on the prey type. [13]

Life history

Orangespotted sunfish breed once or twice in June and July, like most other sunfish, [10] in colonies in shallow water near shore. [7] Floodplain and backwater areas are known to include important spawning and nursery sites for orangespotted sunfish. [12] Its reproductive classification is a lithopelagophil, which means the fish spawn on gravel and the embryos are pelagic. [10] Orangespotted sunfish nesting areas are often geographically close by other species’ areas and easily become crowded, which can increase the incidence of hybridization with other Lepomis . [7] Other fish species, such as Topeka shiners (Notropis topeka), are said to be ‘nest associates’ of orangespotted and other sunfishes, meaning they establish spawning territories on the periphery of sunfish nests. [8] This is because nesting sunfish have been known to expose suitable spawning sites for other species, like the Topeka shiner, by fanning the spot with their caudal fins to aerate the eggs. [8]

Some sunfish species make courtship sounds to attract females. For instance, when nesting orangespotted sunfish males see a female, they make grunting sounds while rushing back and forth between the female and the nest repeatedly to try to win her. The amplitude and frequency of the courtship sounds of orangespotted sunfish are distinct to the species and can be differentiated by female listeners from the sounds of other sunfish species if they do not occur simultaneously. [7] Orangespotted sunfish have a maximum age between four and seven years, [6] an average length of 3 cm (1.2 in), [10] and can reach a maximum recorded length of about 15 cm (5.9 in).

Current management

The floodplain environment is easily subject to change, by natural or human activities. [12] In many habitats that are natural homes to orangespotted sunfish, connectivity between rivers and lakes has been altered and flooding incidents have been reduced for agricultural gain. [4] The orangespotted sunfish is one of many species that are characteristic to floodplain lakes and has been affected by the degradation of this system. [4] [9] The flat nature of floodplain lake areas makes agricultural runoff and runoff from manufacturers a distinct problem to water quality. [4] Inputs from runoff can increase sedimentation, which has many detrimental effects to habitats, such as reduced oxygen concentration and lake eutrophication, a nutrient enrichment of lake water from runoff. [4] [9] Fortunately for orangespotted sunfish, a species that thrives in turbid, shallow systems with low oxygen content, increased sedimentation is not decreasing their habitat, [4] though the changes may be fragmenting the habitat. [12]

In Canada, according to the Fisheries Act, this and all fish species are required to be protected for spawning, nursery, and residence habitat through proper species management. [10] Currently, studies have used many methods to assess orangespotted sunfish population assemblages such as traps of plastic netting, pulsed DC electrofishing, tandem fyke and mini-fyke nets. [4] [8] [9] [12]

Management recommendations

This species is not as vulnerable to human-induced change as most freshwater fish. The orangespotted sunfish lives in lakes largely surrounded by agricultural areas, so collaboration between managers, farmers and other watershed managing organizations in the region is necessary. [4] Watershed disorders, such as increased sedimentation and turbidity, must be addressed first by management planners when designing a plan for orangespotted sunfish. [4] Not much information has been collected on the changes of floodplain waters, and more is needed to fully understand the needs of the orangespotted sunfish before management can be implemented. [12] One solution to decrease lake sedimentation is through a process of ‘lake drawdowns,’ which are installed by managers to compact sediments and controlled by pumps. [9] The drawdowns mimic pre-dam conditions that would naturally harden and compact sediment. This process can be expensive, but it has already been implemented by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in Swan Lake, Illinois through their habitat rehabilitation and enhancement project (HREP). [9] Seasonal drawdowns can increase river connectivity and has been seen to increase habitat for orangespotted sunfish populations. [9]

Water pollution by energy plants, such as the one monitored by TDEC, is a long-term problem that will have to be taken into account by managers for many years. [14] More studies should be done in all documented locations of orangespotted sunfish to assess the current population assemblages, and to track any future changes that occur. Monitoring can be done through the use of nets or electrofishing to measure population densities. At present, no lands need to be protected for this non-endangered fish, but careful consideration should be taken if new dams are created that fragment the orangespotted sunfish's habitat.

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">Bluegill</span> Species of fish

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.

<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

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.

<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 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">Green sunfish</span> Species of fish

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.

<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">Sauger</span> Species of fish

The sauger is a freshwater perciform fish of the family Percidae that resembles its close relative, the walleye. The species is a member of the largest vertebrate order, the Perciformes. It is the most migratory percid species in North America. Saugers have two dorsal fins; the first is spiny and the posterior dorsal fin is soft-rayed. Their paired fins are in the thoracic position and their caudal fin is truncated, which means squared off at the corners, a characteristic of the family Percidae. Another physical characteristic of saugers is their ctenoid scales, which are common in advanced fishes. Saugers have a fusiform body structure, and as a result are well adapted predatory fishes and are capable of swimming into fast currents with minimal drag on their bodies. They may be distinguished from walleyes by the distinctly spotted dorsal fin, by the lack of a white splotch on the caudal fin, by the rough skin over their gills, and by their generally more brassy color, or darker color in some regions. The typical sauger is 300 to 400 g in weight.

The bigeye shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Notropis. This fish is a slender, silvery minnow with a dusky lateral stripe and a maximum total length of about 80 mm. Its distinct characteristic is its large-diameter eyes. It is a common species in upland streams of the middle Mississippi River system. Bigeye shiners prefer warm, quiet pools with clear water and silt-free substrates. Siltation, channelization, and gravel dredging are all threats to bigeye shiner populations. During spawning season, typically late April to August, bigeye shiners have several clutches of eggs. State agencies and the EPA have both played a role in the surveying of bigeye shiner populations. Populations have decreased in Ohio due mostly to habitat destruction. In addition to habitat destruction by humans, habitat alteration of the small streams and dried pools has also had a significant effect on abundance. Rivers and streams should not be channelized or modified in any way, which is becoming an increasingly popular trend in urban locations. Agricultural areas and properties within the watershed should adhere to regulations to prevent runoff into the streams.

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

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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, all of which are in the United States. 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.

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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.

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

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References

  1. ↑ NatureServe (2013). "Lepomis humilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T202556A18228862. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T202556A18228862.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Lepomis humilis" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
  3. 1 2 3 Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr, 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Miranda, L. E., Lucas, G. M., 2004. Determinism in Fish Assemblages of Floodplain Lakes of the Vastly Disturbed Mississippi Alluvial Valley, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 133:2, 358-370.
  5. 1 2 MN DNR. "Orangespotted Sunfish (Lepomis Humilis) - FactSheet." Minnesota DNR. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 2012. Web. 25 Sept. 2012.
  6. 1 2 Rasmus, R. A., Phelps, Q. E., Duehr, J. P., Berry, C. R. 2008. Population Characteristics of Lotic Orangespotted Sunfish, Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 23:3, 459-461.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Gerald, J.W. 1971. Sound Production During Courtship in Six Species of Sunfish (Centrarchidae). Society for the study of Evolution, 25:1, 75-87.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Witte C.C., Wildhaber M.L., Arab A., Noltie D.B. 2009. Substrate choice of territorial male Topeka shiners (Notropis topeka) in the absence of sunfish (Lepomis sp.). Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2009: 18: 350–359.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Timmermann, T.R., Dolan, C.R., Chick, J.H. 2011. Assessment of backwater lake management strategies based on the diets of five riverine fishes, Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 26:2, 203-216.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Leslie, J.K., Timmins, C.A. 2004. Environment and distribution of age 0 fishes in River Canard, a lowland Ontario river, The Canadian field-naturalist 119: 16-25.
  11. ↑ Hubbs, C., R.J. Edwards, and G.P. Garrett. 2008. An Annotated Checklist of the Freshwater Fishes of Texas, with Keys to Identification of Species, 2nd Edition. Texas Academy of Science.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kwak, T.J. 1988. Lateral movement and use of floodplain habitat by fishes of the Kankakee River, Illinois, Illinois Natural History Survey, Aquatic Biology Section
  13. 1 2 Hegrenes, S. 2001. Diet-induced phenotypic plasticity of feeding morphology in the orangespotted sunfish, Lepomis humilis, Ecology of Freshwater fish 2001: 10, 35-42.
  14. ↑ Southworth, G.R., Peterson, M.J., Roy, W.K., Mathews, T.J. 2011. Monitoring fish contaminant responses to abatement actions: factors that affect recovery, Environmental Management, 47:1064-1076.
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