Black opercular spot not longer than the eye; length of longest dorsal 

 spine one and one-half to two times the diameter of the eye; gill rakers 

 various 385. 



383. Opercular spot usually deeper than the eye; gill rakers soft; pectoral 



fins pointed; Michigan to Minn., south to S. C. and Texas; introduced 

 elsewhere 



Xenotjs megalotis (Raf.) Long-eared Sunfish, Sun Perch 

 (Lepomis megalotis (Raf.) ) 

 Opercular spot usually not as deep as the eye; gill rakers stiff; pectoral 

 fins broadly rounded 384. 



384. With a dark blotch on the posterior end of the dorsal fin; lower fins yel- 



low; Virginia to Louisiana 



Lepomis solis (C. fe? V.) Southern Long-eared Sunfish 

 No dark blotch on the dorsal fin; lower fins red; Maine to Virginia 



Lepomis auritus (Linn.) Yellow-bellied or Eastern Long-eared 

 Sunfish 



385. Gill rakers long and slender, about one-half as long as the gill filaments; 



opercular bone (not flap) pliable behind 386. 



Gill rakers shorter and stouter; opercular bone stiif behind 387. 



386. With a diffuse black blotch on the lower half of the last four or five 



rays of the dorsal fin; operculum scarcely light margined behind; sides 

 dark barred; Great Lakes to Florida and the Rio Grande; introduced 

 elsewhere 



Hehoperca incjsor (C. fe? V.) Bluegill 



Lepomis macrochirus Raf. 

 (Lepoyms paUidus of many writers) 

 No black blotch so situated; with three-quarters of the opercular spot on 

 the soft flap, the other quarter made up of the greenish or dark hard 

 point of the operculum; opercular flap light margined behind, often 

 tinged with red; sides with orange spots; not over three and one-half 

 inches long; Dakotas to Alabama and Texas 



AlloUs humilis (Girard) Orange-spotted Sunfish 



Lepomis humihs (Girard) 



387. Opercular flap scarcely light margined behind; pectoral fins shorter than 



head; with teeth on vomer and palatines (in roof of mouth) ; sides 

 with rows of squarish orange spots; lower Mississippi Valley 



Sclerotis miniatus (Jordan) Scarlet Sunfish, Stump Perch 

 (Lepomis miniatus (Jordan) ) 

 Opercular flap orange or red bordered; pectoral fins as long as or longer 

 than head; no teeth on palatines; sides spotted to plain 388. 



388. With a definite red spot on the opercular flap (faded to yellowish in 



preserved specimens) ; cheeks with greenish stripes; Atlantic States, 

 Great Lakes region and upper Mississippi Valley 



Eupomotis gibhosus (Linn.) Pumpkinseed 



Lepomis gibhosus (Linn.) 

 Opercular flap orange or red margined behind; cheeks less definitely 

 striped 389. 



389. Usually with 42 or more scales in the lateral line, and with six or seven 



rows between the lateral line and the dorsal fin; Virginia to Florida 



304 



