CENTRARCHUS ROUND SUNFISH 241 



The common names of this species most used in Illinois are black 

 crappie, calico bass, and strawberry bass, the first in central Illinois 

 and the others in the northern part of the state. 



It does not reach as large a size as the white crappie, the largest 

 specimens taken weighing not much over \\ pounds. 



The species spawned in May at Havana in 1898, and specimens 

 taken as early as April 19 yielded eggs and milt under pressure. 



This crappie has been successfully introduced into France. Its 

 hardy endurance of both heat and cold, and also of foul water, is 

 especially favorable to its transportation and acclimatization. The 

 statistics of the catch of the black crappie from the Mississippi and 

 the Illinois are included under those of the preceding species. 



Genus CENTRARCHUS Cuvier and Valenciennes 



(round sunfish) 



Body short and deep, compressed; opercle emarginate behind; mouth 

 large; maxillary with a supplemental bone; teeth on vomer, palatines, 

 entopterygoids, ectopterygoids, and tongue; pharyngeal teeth sharp; 

 gill-rakers setiform, very long and finely dentate, 20 to 30 in the lower 

 angle of the arch; dorsal spines about 12; anal spines about 8; caudal 

 emarginate; scales not strongly ctenoid. Southern and southeastern 

 United States; one species. The genus is closely allied to Pomoxis, 

 from which it is separated only by a greater development of the spinous 

 dorsal and anal fins, and by the presence of teeth on the ectopterygoids. 



CENTRARCHUS MACROPTERUS (Lacepede) 

 (round sunfish ; flier) 



Lacepede, 1802, Hist. Nat. Poiss., Ill, 447 (Labrus). 



J. & G , 463; M. V., 114; B., I, 8; J. & E., I, 988; N., 37 (irideus); J., 47 (irideus) ; 

 F., 70; L., 23; F, F., I. 3, 56 (irideus). 



Length 4 inches (occasionally 6) ; body ovate, strongly compressed, 

 profile angled at nape; depth 1 . 9 to 2 . 1 in length; greatest width more 

 than 3 in greatest depth; depth caudal peduncle 1 to 1 .2 in its length. 

 Color green, with series of dark brown spots on sides below lateral line, 

 forming interrupted longitudinal lines; a dark spot below eye; soft dorsal 

 and anal reticulated; young with a black ocellus at base of soft dorsal. 

 Head rather small, 2.7 to 3.1 in length ; width of head 1 . 9 to 2.1 in 

 its length; interorbital space 2.9 to 3.5, concave; eye 3.3 to 4; nose 

 pointed, scarcely as long as eye, 4 to 4. 7 in head; mouth small, oblique, 

 maxillary nearly to middle of orbit, 2.5 to 2.8 in head; opercular flap 

 broad and thin, not prolonged; gill-rakers X + 30, setiform. Dorsal XI 



