Lepomis
Encyclopedia
Lepomis is a genus
of freshwater
fish
in the sunfish family
(family Centrarchidae
) of order
Perciformes
. The most recognizable species
of the sixteen in this genus is the Bluegill
.
Some lepomis species can grow to a maximum overall length of 41 centimetres (16.1 in), though most species average around 10–20 cm (3.9–7.9 ),they are widely distributed throughout the lakes and rivers of the United States
and Canada
, and several species have been transplanted and flourished around the world, even becoming pests. (Trade in some Lepomis species is prohibited in Germany
for this reason.) Many are sought by anglers
as panfish
, and large numbers are bred to stock lakes, rivers, and tributaries .
Lepomis species are sometimes referred to as bream, but the term more properly refers to the similar-looking but unrelated Europe
an Cypriniformes
of genus Abramis.
The generic name Lepomis derives from the Greek
λεπίς (scale) and πώμα (cover, plug, operculum
).
based on fossil records, as old as 16.3 million years, dating back to the Middle Miocene
http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=83690&is_real_user=1.
L. gulosus, the warmouth
, was formerly Chaenobryttus gulosus, the only species of that genus. ITIS
still uses the old classification.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
in the sunfish family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
(family Centrarchidae
Centrarchidae
The sunfishes are a family of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the order Perciformes. The type genus is Centrarchus . The family's 27 species includes many fishes familiar to North Americans, including the rock bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, and crappies...
) of order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
Perciformes
Perciformes
The Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, is one of the largest orders of vertebrates, containing about 40% of all bony fish. Perciformes means perch-like. They belong to the class of ray-finned fish and comprise over 7,000 species found in almost all aquatic environments...
. The most recognizable species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of the sixteen in this genus is the Bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
.
Some lepomis species can grow to a maximum overall length of 41 centimetres (16.1 in), though most species average around 10–20 cm (3.9–7.9 ),they are widely distributed throughout the lakes and rivers of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and several species have been transplanted and flourished around the world, even becoming pests. (Trade in some Lepomis species is prohibited in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
for this reason.) Many are sought by anglers
Angling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
as panfish
Panfish
A panfish, also spelled pan-fish or pan fish, is an edible game fish that usually doesn't outgrow the size of a frying pan. The term is also commonly used by anglers to refer to any small catch that will fit in a pan, but is large enough to be legal. However its definition and usage varies with...
, and large numbers are bred to stock lakes, rivers, and tributaries .
Lepomis species are sometimes referred to as bream, but the term more properly refers to the similar-looking but unrelated Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an Cypriniformes
Cypriniformes
The Cypriniformes are an order of ray-finned fish, including the carps, minnows, loaches and relatives. This order contains 5-6 families, over 320 genera, and more than 3,250 species, with new species being described every few months or so, and new genera being recognized regularly...
of genus Abramis.
The generic name Lepomis derives from the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
λεπίς (scale) and πώμα (cover, plug, operculum
Operculum (gastropod)
The operculum, meaning little lid, is a corneous or calcareous anatomical structure which exists in many groups of sea snails and freshwater snails, and also in a few groups of land snails...
).
Fossil record
The redear sunfish is the first-known species of CentrarchidaeCentrarchidae
The sunfishes are a family of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the order Perciformes. The type genus is Centrarchus . The family's 27 species includes many fishes familiar to North Americans, including the rock bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, and crappies...
based on fossil records, as old as 16.3 million years, dating back to the Middle Miocene
Middle Miocene
The Middle Miocene is a sub-epoch of the Miocene Epoch made up of two stages: the Langhian and Serravallian stages. The Middle Miocene is preceded by the Early Miocene....
http://paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=checkTaxonInfo&taxon_no=83690&is_real_user=1.
Species
- L. auritusRedbreast sunfishThe 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....
- redbreast sunfish - L. cyanellusGreen sunfishThe green sunfish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. A panfish popular with anglers, the green sunfish is also kept as an aquarium fish by hobbyists. They are usually caught by accident, while fishing for other game fish...
- green sunfish - L. gibbosusPumpkinseedThe pumpkinseed sunfish is a freshwater fish of the sunfish family of order Perciformes. It is also referred to as "pond perch", "common sunfish", "punkys", and "sunny".-Range and distribution:...
- pumpkinseed - L. gulosusWarmouthThe common name of Lepomis gulosus is the warmouth. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee.-Introduction:The following is a description of a monitoring plan for the Warmouth . One of the eleven species in the Lepomis genus, the species name gulosus refers to the warmouths big eyes...
- warmouth - L. humilisOrangespotted sunfishThe orangespotted sunfish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes.The orangespotted sunfish reaches a maximum recorded length of about 15 cm....
- orangespotted sunfish - L. macrochirusBluegillThe Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
- bluegill - L. macrochirus purpurescens - Florida bluegill
- L. macrochirus spp - Handpaint bluegill
- L. marginatusLepomis marginatusThe common name of Lepomis marginatus is the dollar sunfish. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
- dollar sunfish - L. megalotis peltastes - northern longear sunfish
- L. megalotis megalotisLongear sunfishThe longear sunfish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. It is native to the an area of eastern North America stretching from the Great Lakes down to northeastern Mexico....
- central longear sunfish - L. megalotis spp - Ox-bow longear sunfish
- L. microlophusRedear sunfishThe redear sunfish , also known as the shellcracker, Georgia bream, cherry gill, chinquapin, improved bream, rouge ear sunfish and sun perch, is native to the southeastern United States, but since it is a popular sport fish it has been introduced to bodies of water all over North America...
- redear sunfish - L. miniatusLepomis miniatusLepomis miniatus, also known as the redspotted sunfish, is a species of freshwater demersal fish. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee.-External links:*...
- redspotted sunfish - L. punctatusLepomis punctatusLepomis punctatus is the spotted sunfish sometimes referred to as a Stumpknocker or Stump Knocker. It is in the genus Lepomis ....
- spotted sunfish - L. symmetricusLepomis symmetricusThe common name of Lepomis symmetricus is the bantam sunfish. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee....
- bantam sunfish
L. gulosus, the warmouth
Warmouth
The common name of Lepomis gulosus is the warmouth. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee.-Introduction:The following is a description of a monitoring plan for the Warmouth . One of the eleven species in the Lepomis genus, the species name gulosus refers to the warmouths big eyes...
, was formerly Chaenobryttus gulosus, the only species of that genus. ITIS
Itis
Itis may refer to* Integrated Taxonomic Information System, a partnership designed to provide consistent and reliable information on the taxonomy of biological species...
still uses the old classification.