LEPOMIS — SUNFISHES 251 



small, 4.7 to 5 in head; mouth large, the lower jaw slightly longer than the 

 upper; maxillary extending to middle of eye, 2.5 to 3 in head; a well-de- 

 veloped supplemental maxillary bone; teeth on palatines; lower pharyngeals 

 narrow but strong, the teeth heavy and bluntly pointed, as in L. cyanellus; 

 flexible margin of opercular flap broad and rather thick and fleshy; gill- 

 rakers long, stiff, and rough, Yi diameter of eye. Dorsal X or XI, 12; the 

 spines strong and low, the longest scarcely reaching from snout to middle of 

 orbit, 3.1 to 3.4 in head; anal III, 9 or 10; pectorals short, 1.4 to 1.7 in head; 

 ventrals exceeding vent, not reaching anal. Scales 7 or 8, 43-49, 14 or 15; 

 6 or 7 rows on cheek. 



Described in 1877 from a single specimen, taken in the 

 Illinois River, the exact locality unknown. Not again taken 

 until 1899, when two excellent adult specimens were obtained 

 from the Illinois River at Meredosia. Not known outside of 

 Illinois. Here described from 3 specimens, of which one is 

 the original type. 



LEPOMIS SYMMETRICUS Foebes 



Forbes, 1883, Jordan and Gilbert's Synopsis, 473. 



B., I, 21 (Apomotis); J. & E., I, 998 (Apomotis) ; F., 68; L,., 24 (Apomotis) ; R., 33. 



Length 2^ inches; body robust, rather short and deep; dorsal and 

 ventral- outlines about equally curved, giving the fish a distinctively sym- 

 metrical appearance; profile almost straight, the angle at nape usually in- 

 appreciable; depth 1.9 to 2 in length. Color in life green, with darker bars; in 

 spirits light to darker brown; each scale with a basal spot of darker, the 

 spots appearing as indistinct rows from before backward, 12 or 13 in number; 

 body and fins with numerous small coffee-colored specks; tips of ventrals 

 dusky; a black ocellated spot at base of last dorsal rays in young specimens. 

 Head 2.7 to 2.8 in length; eye 2.8 to 3.3 in head; mouth moderate, maxillary 

 reaching to middle of orbit, 2.4 to 2.6 in head; a well-developed supple- 

 mental maxillary bone; teeth on vomers and palatines; lower pharyngeals 

 narrow, as in other species of Lepomis, the teeth conical, but rather heavy 

 and bluntly pointed; operculum short, very broadly rounded behind, its 

 membranous margin not very broad; gill-rakers rather long and slender, 

 but firm, the longest more than % diameter of eye. Dorsal IX or X, 10 or 

 11; the spines moderate, not very short, the longest reaching from snout to 

 pupil, 2 to 2.5 in head; anal III, 9 or 10; pectorals 1.1 to 1.3 in head; ventrals 

 short, hardly exceeding vent. Scales large, 5 or 6, 32 to 37, 12 to 14; lateral 

 line incomplete; 4 or 5 rows of scales on cheeks. 



This symmetrical little species is rather rare in Illinois, 

 which is the northern boundary of its area of distribution. It 

 has been taken by us, in fact, but nine times, all but two of the 

 collections — made from the Illinois River at Pekin — coming 

 from localities in extreme southern Illinois, as follows: Ander- 

 son's branch and Running Lake in Union county; and Drew 



