LEPOMIS — SUNFISHES 



257 



It ranges widely throughout the Mississippi Valley, from 

 Minnesota and South Dakota and the Ohio basin generally, to 

 Kansas, Arkansas, and Texas. We find no mention of it from 

 the Atlantic slope. 



Ripe males and females in high coloration, swimming in 

 pairs, were taken by Dr. Kofoid in Meredosia Bay June 8, 1899. 

 The sexes present a notably different appearance in outline as 

 well as in color, the males having the forehead concave, the 

 profile steeper, and the ventrals longer than the females. 



LEPOMIS PALLIDUS (Mitqhill) 



bluegill; blue sunfish 



(Map LXXVIII) 



Mitchill, 1815, Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. N. Y., 407 (Labrus). 



J. & G., 479; M. V., 118; J. & E., I, 1005; B., I, 29 (Eupomotis) ; N., 37 (Ichthelis 

 incisor and speciosus); J., 45 (Lepiopomus) ; F. F., I., 3, 48 (Lepiopomus) ; F., 



67; L., 25; R., 34. 



Length of adults 5 to 8 inches, the body compressed, short and deep, 

 extremely so in adults; the dorsal outline somewhat more curved than the 

 ventral; profile rather steep, not sharply angled at nape but excavate in a 

 shallow curve which continues almost to end of snout, giving the nose an 

 upturned appearance; depth 1.9 to 2.2, 

 usually about 2. Color light to dark 

 olive, with more or less luster of purple 

 to lavender; adults usually very dark; 

 belly yellow or rich yellowish brown, 

 with margins of scales lighter; about 

 six more or less distinct wavy vertical 

 bars of dusky on sides, most apparent 

 below lateral Hne, usually becoming 

 obsolete in adults; snout dull slate, 

 velvety; chin emerald; cheeks and 

 opercles olive with iridescent gold and 

 emerald; gill-flap deep blue-black be- 

 hind, velvety, without evident pale 

 margin, the black of the flap some- 

 times lightening to a dull emerald- 

 green; fins all more or less dusky, 

 ventrals and anal most so; pectorals 

 almost plain, pale; dorsal with a 

 diffuse but usually evident black 

 blotch at base of last rays. Head short, small, 2.9 to 3.4 in length, usually 

 about 3.1 in adults; eye 2.9 to 3.9 in head; mouth small, very oblique, the 

 jaws equal; maxillary scarcely reaching front of orbit, 2.9 to 3.3 in head in 

 adults; supplemental maxillary very rudimentary or wanting; no teeth on 



Fig. 64 



Fig. 65 



Lower left pharj'ngeal of Lcpomispallidus: 

 Fig. 64, from above; Fig. 65, from below. 



