Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 395 

 47. LONG-EARED SUNFISH 



LEPOMIS MEGALOTIS (Rafineaque) 



This is another of the small sunfishes that abound in all suit- 

 able waters in the Mississippi Valley and southwestward. From 

 Minnesota and northern Ohio it ranges southward to Florida, 

 Arkansas and Texas. 



It is subject to great variation and has been described as new 

 no fewer than 14 times. Although it occurs in lakes and large 

 streams, it most delights in the smaller creeks and brooks. In 

 Lake Maxinkuckee it is more common than the blue-spotted sunfish, 

 but it is not by any means abundant, only a few examples having 

 been obtained by us. In Lost Lake, however, it is more numerous 

 and was frequently taken in the seine. 



Long-eared Sunfish (Lepomis megalotis) 



In these waters it does not seem to reach a greater length than 

 5 or 6 inches and a weight of 2 or 3 ounces. It is, however, a 

 sweet pan-fish, and in game qualities it is not particularly different 

 from the green-spotted sunfish and the pumpkin-seed. 



Head 3 (without flap) ; depth about 2, varying with age; eye 

 3 to 4; D. X, 10 to 12; A. Ill, 8 to 10; scales 5-36 to 45-14, 31 

 to 40 pores, about 5 rows on cheek ; gillrakers X + 8 or 9 ; pectoral 

 1 : \ to li in head. Body short, deep, and compressed, the back very 

 strongly arched in the adult, the profile steep, usually forming an 

 angle above the eyes; mouth small and oblique, the premaxillary 

 rather below the eye, the maxillary reaching middle of eye; gill- 



