68 



Pomo.ris- (nniiildrls Rafinesque. — White Crappie; Crappie. 



Differing fnim the next sjjecies in the more gradual slope of the profile from the front of 

 tlie dorsal, the lighter general color, the arranKement of the dark color in definite bands on 

 tiie side, anfl the lesser depth of body. 



Dorsal and anal fins of about equal size; df)rsal spines 6 or 7, more commonly 6. 



Very abundant and generally distribtited through the State, with the exception of the 

 Kock and Wabash l)asins, where it is no* very common. 



Povw.riH KixtroidcH (Lact'pede). Calico IJass; Stra,vv})erry Bass; Black Crappie: 

 Crappie. 



Colors darker than in F. annularis; dorsal and anal larger and much mottled with black; 

 sides irregularh- mottled with dark green or black. Profile of head steeper and more 

 abruptly recurved just behind the snout than iri^the preceding; dorsal spines from 6 to 10 in 

 number, usually 7 or 8. 



Widely distributed, but not abundant in rapid streams. 



Ceiitrarcliiis macropterus (Lacrpede). — Round Sunfish: Flj'^er. 

 A small fish with rows of dark spots on the sides much as in the rock bass (Ambloplites 

 rupestris); body very Ihin; dorsal and ventral outlines strongly and symmetrically curved; 

 dorsal and anal fins about etiual in size. 



Taken only from southern Illinois. Our collections are from Auxier creek and north 

 fork of the Saline nver in Hamilton county, a branch of the Big Muddy in Franklin county. 

 Cache river in Johnson county, and two localities on Clear creek in Union county. 



Ai nhlo I illtcs rupestris (Rafinesque). (ioggle-eye; Red-eye; Rock Bass. 



Well known by the common names given above. Living in deep pools near swift water 

 or in drifts, where it bites quite readily on any ordinary bait, sometimes e\ en taking a fly 

 cast for bass. A young fisherman's fish, and of fair quality- as a pan-fish. 



Common in the northern part of the State, taken once from the Kaskaskia river at Cow- 

 den and once in Union county. Infrequently taken in large bodies of water. 



Clurnohryttiis (julosus (Culver & Valenciennes). — AVarmouth Bass; Goggle-eye. 



Somewhat like the last in general appearance and habits, but with much deeper color and 

 more of a liking for sluggish water. A fair fish for pond culture, growing to considerable 

 size and making a very good fry. 



Common in favorable situations throughout the State; rare in the Wabash basin, Rock 

 river basin, and in the gravelly streams of cent al Illinois. 



KEY TO ILLINOIS SUNFISHES OF THE GENERA APOMOTIS, LEPO.MIS, AND EUPOMOTIS 



a. Body elongate; depth 2-.i of length; scales in lateral line 4.5 to 55; mouth large; usually 

 a stellate black spot on base of soft dorsal; in life with a coppery margin on opercular 

 flap and pale blue spots on the scales Apo.MOTIS cvandllcs. 



aa. Body not elongate ; depth 4-9 to 5-10 of length. 



b. Lateral line developed on less than half the scale .... Apomotis SYMMETRICUS. 

 bb. Lateral line well developed, pores on all but a few scales. 



c. Black opercular fiap without margin of lighter color. 



d. AnalravsSto 10; scales in lateral line 3(5 to 45, 31 to 40 developed pores; oper- 



cular flap frequently large and long, alwavs broad, and striate longitudinally. 



LEPOMIS MEGALOTIS. 



dd. Anal rays 10 to 12; scales in lateral line 43 to 52. pores developed on 40 to 50 scales; 

 opercular fiap not much elongate; a black spot on dorsal fin. 



Lepomis pallidcs. 

 cc. Opercular flap with a margin of light color or a red spot on posterior edge. 



e. Scales in lateral line usually less than 40. 



f. Anal with 8 to 10 soft rays; sides regularly spotted with red, orange, or dark 



brown spots. 



g. Opercular fiap short, portion on bone of oi erculum black, membranous portion 



pale Lepomis garmanc. 



gg. Opercular flap an elongate membrane, the center black and the margin very 



pale pink or silver white Lepomis humilis. 



ff. Anal usually with 11 soft rays; sides not regularly spotted as described above. 



EUPO.MOTIS heros. 

 ee. Scales in lateral line 40 to 47. 



h. Opercular flap with a pale margin Apomotis ischyri's. 



hh. Opercular flap with red spot on edge; 4 rows of scales on cheeks; also wavy 

 blue streaks Etpomotis gibbosus. 



Apomotis ry<uieU IIS (Rafinesque.) — Blue-spotted sunfish: Gi-een vSi'.nfish. (307). 

 Of sufficient size to make it a pan-fish of some economic importance; taken readily by 

 unskilled anglers. 



Distributed with remarkable impartiality throughout the State in the smaller streams, the 

 largest specimens coming from small sluggish creeks. We havt- taken it in 220 localities. 



A))miuitis isclninis (,)oi-dan i<: Nelson.) (."510). 

 Our collection of this species include the original t> pe, from the Illinois river, and two or 

 three others of very doubtful identity. 



^Ipinnotis sijiiunitririis (Forbes). (,H09). 

 This species is represented in our collections by specimens from l^nion county, from 

 Cairo, and from several points on the lower Wabash river; has also been taken in the Illinois 

 river. 



