I20 VERTEBRATE ANIMALS OF THE UNITED STATES 



Key to the Species of Eupomotis 



ai No scarlet on the opercular flap, 

 bi In the southern States. 



Ci Lower border of opercular flap pale; scales 42 E. pallidus. 



C2 Border of opercular flap blood red in male, pale in female; 



scales 34 to 39 E. heros. 



C3 Border of opercular flap orange; scales 42 to 44 E. holbrooki. 



hi In the Great Lake region E. euryorus. 



a2 Lower posterior border of opercular flap scarlet E. gibbosus. 



E. pallidus (Agassiz). Length 175 mm.; head 2.75; depth 2.4; 

 color light olive, without markings; rays of dorsal fin X, 10; anal 

 III, 9; scales 8-42-12 : Georgia to Texas; rare. 



L. heros (Baird & Girard). Head 3; depth 2.4; color dark greenish 

 above, yellowish below; rays of dorsal fin X, 11; anal III, 11; scales 

 6-34 to 39-14: Indiana to Florida and the Rio Grande basin; rare. 



E. holbrooki (Cuvier & Valenciennes). Length 250 mm.; head 3 to 

 3.5; depth 2 to 2.25; color dusky olive; silvery below; throat yellow; 

 rays of dorsal fin X, 10 to 12; anal III, 9 to 11; scales 6-44 or 45-15: 

 Virginia to Florida; common in lowland streams. 



E. euryorus (McKay). Length 200 mm.; head 3.75; depth 2.4; 

 color mottled olive; yellowish below; top of head blackish; rays of dorsal 

 fin X, 11; anal III, 10; scales 6-43-14; body very robust, oval: Great 

 Lakes region; very rare. 



E. gibbosus (L.). Common sunfish; pumpkin-seed. Length 200 

 mm.; head 3 to 3.25; depth 1.75 to 2; color greenish olive above, shaded 

 with bluish; sides spotted with orange; belly orange yellow; rays of 

 dorsal fin X, 10 to 12; anal III, 10 or 11; scales 6-40 to 47-13; body 

 ovate: Maine to Minnesota; southward east of the Alleghenies to 

 Florida, but rather rare towards the south; in the northern parts 

 only of the Mississippi Valley; very common, especially in ponds; eggs 

 deposited in a nest made in shallow water by the male, who scoops out a 

 depression in the bottom about a foot in diameter and several inches 

 deep, which he guards after the eggs are laid and the young are hatched. 



II. Micropterus Lacepede. Black bass. Body elongate; mouth 

 very large, oblique; lower jaw projecting; supplementary maxillary bone 

 broad; scales small, ctenoid; lateral line complete; dorsal fin with a deep 

 notch between the spinous and the soft-rayed portions; hinder margin 

 of tail concave: 2 species, both very important game and food fishes. 



Key to the Species of Micropterus 



ai Maxillary not extending back of the eye (Fig. 54) M. dolomieu. 



a2 Maxillary extending back of the eye (Fig. 54) M. salmoides. 



