CENTRARCHID^S. 8l 



Genus : L,EPOMlS. 



Key to Species. 



A. Pectoral fins short, obtuse, not reaching beyond front of anal, considerably shorter 



than head— megalotis. 



AA. Pectoral fins more or less pointed, not much if any shorter than head, and reaching 

 to or beyond front of anal. 

 B. Opercular flap margined with red, sides with many red spots.— humilis. 



BB. Opercular flap without red margin or spot ; no red spots on sides, a large spot 

 on posterior rays of dorsal and anal fins at base.— pallidus, 



Lepomis megalotis (Rafinesque). Long-eared Sunfish. 



Head (without earflap) 3 in length; depth 1% to 2>£; eye 3^ to 4. 

 D. X, 10 to 12; A. Ill, 8 to 10; scales about 6-38-12, about 5 rows on cheek. 

 Body short and deep, compressed; the back very strongly arched in adult, 

 the profile ve^ steep. Mouth small, oblique. Gill rakers very short and 

 soft. Dorsal spines very low, 3 in head. Pectoral 1% to 1% in head. 

 Opercular flap in adult very broad and long, with a pale blue or red margin 

 which may be very broad or almost wanting; the flap much smaller in young. 

 Color brilliant blue and orange; above chiefly blue, the belly entirely orange, 

 lips blue; cheeks orange, with bright blue stripes; soft parts of vertical fins 

 with the rays blue and membranes orange. An extremely variable species. 

 Length 8 inches. 



An abundant species in the Ohio river system, but not so 

 common in the lake drainage. It occurs both in lakes and 

 streams, but to greater extent in the latter. It does not ascend 

 streams as far as Apomotis cyanelhis, however. Given by Kirt- 

 land as Pomotis nitida. Hamilton County, "abundant in Ross 

 lake," Henshall, 1888; L-orain County, rare, two specimens from 

 Black river, 1890, McCormick; Maumee system, " all the larger 

 streams and nearly all the smaller ones," July 17 given as a 

 breeding date, Kirsch, 1893; Franklin County, nearly all the 

 streams, apparently the most common sunfish, June 18 given as a 

 breeding date, Williamson and Osburn, 1897; John's creek at 

 Waterloo, Huron river at Milan, Ashtabula creek, Wabash river 

 at Celina, Stillwater and Wolf creeks near Dayton, North Fork 

 of Lacking river at Newark, R. C. Osburn, 1899; Niggermill Run 

 at Salem, E. B. Williamson, 1900; Sandusky Bay, Summit lake, 

 Ohio river at Bellaire, Licking reservoir, R. C. Osburn, 1900. 



