94 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



d. Tongue with teeth Chaenobryttus Gill, p. 96 



dd. Tongue without teeth Lepomis Rafinesque, p. 97 



cc. Dorsal with a deep indentation at the junction of the spinous and soft portions; spinous 

 dorsal narrowly joined to the soft dorsal; scales ctenoid. Uicropterus Lac^pMe, p. gg 



Subfamily Centraechinae 



Genus POMOXIS Rafinesque 



The Crappies 



Pomoxis Rafinesque, Amcr. Monthly Magazine, p. 41, 1818. 



Body strongly compressed and quite deep; anal and dorsal fins of about the 

 same size and shape; operculum emarginate posteriorly. A genus of two closely 

 related species, both of which have been introduced into Colorado.' 



Pomoxis sparoides (Lacepede) 

 Calico Bass, Strawberry Bass, Black Crappie (Fig. 48) 



Lahrus sparoides Lac6pede, Hist. Nat. Poiss., Vol. Ill, p. 517, 1802 (South Carohna). 

 Pomoxis sparoides (Lacepede) — Juday, Univ. Colo. Studies, Vol. II, p. 113, 1903 (Boulder). 



Body much compressed, depth 2.25 to 2.5 in the length to the base of the 

 caudal fin; back elevated; dorsal profile sloping abruptly upward from the supra- 

 ocular region to the base of the first dorsal spine, forward from the supraocular 

 region more gradually to the tip of the snout, giving the snout an upturned 

 appearance; ventral profile arcuate, the lowest point at the base of the first anal 

 ray; top of the head somewhat flattened, with a distinct elevation between the 

 eyes; length of the head 3 or a little less in the length of the body; eye very large, 

 its center nearer to the tip of the snout than to the posterior margin of the oper- 

 culum, situated in the upper half of the head; diameter of the eye greater than the 

 length of the snout, about 4 in the head, a little less than i in the interorbital 

 distance; posterior margin of the operculum emarginate; nostrils small, lateral, 

 longer than wide, on a level with and slightly in front of the dorsal margin of the 

 eye; mouth large, terminal; lower jaw very slightly if at all longer than the upper; 

 angle of the mouth when closed barely or not quite reaching the level of the 

 anterior margin of the eye; premaxillaries protractile; spinous and soft dorsals 

 broadly united, of VII rarely VIII spines, and 15 or 16 rays, the last of which is 

 usually rudimentary; length of the base of the combined dorsals equalling or 

 slightly exceeding the length of the base of the anal fin; pectorals short, 1.5 to 

 1.75 in the head; ventrals shorter than the pectorals, base of the spine of the 

 ventral on a level with the last ray of the pectoral, and separated from it by a 

 little less than the diameter of the eye; anal fin long, of VI spines and 17 or 18 



•After this report had been set up word was received of the successful introduction of the White 

 Crappie, Pomoxis annularis Rafinesque. into lakes near Denver and Pueblo during 1912. This fish, which is 

 much like the Calico Bass in form and coloration, may be recognized by the V or usually VI dorsal spines and 

 the vertical, dusky green bars on the sides which take the place of the dark green blotches on the sides of 

 the Calico Bass. These vertical bars are usually about 10 in number. Since this record was received so 

 late the White Crappie is not included in the tables and discussion of distribution. 



