FISHES OF CHESAPEAKE BAY 
239 
c. Caudal fin rounded; opercle without a flap, ending in two flat points; dorsal with nine spines; 
size small, rarely exceeding a length of 3 inches Enneacanthus, p. 240 
cc. Caudal fin emarginate, never rounded; opercle with a large black flap in the adult; dorsal 
with 10 spines; size larger Lepomis, p. 241 
bb. Body elongate, not strongly compressed, the depth rarely as great as one-third the length; 
dorsal fin deeply notched; mouth large; maxillary reaching opposite middle of eye to 
beyond eye Micropterus, p. 242 
98. Genus POMOXIS Rafinesque. Crappies 
Body rather deep, strongly compressed; upper anterior profile more or less concave over eyes; 
mouth large, oblique; lower jaw projecting; maxillary broad, with a large supplemental bone; 
teeth pointed, present on jaws, vomer, palatines, and tongue; gill rakers long and slender; scales 
moderate, feebly ctenoid; anal fin larger than the dorsal, with about 6 spines and 18 soft rays; 
dorsal with about 6 spines and 14 soft rays; caudal fin emarginate; ventral fins close together; with 
a strong spine and 5 branched rays. One species was taken in slightly brackish water. 
128. Pomoxis annularis Rafinesque. Crappie; Speckled perch; Strawberry bass. 
Pomoxis annularis Rafinesque, Amer. Month. Mag., 1818, p. 41; falls of the Ohio River. Jordan and Evermann, 189G-1900, 
p. 987, PI. CLIV, fig. 415; Smith and Bean, 1899, p. 185. 
Head 2.8; depth 2.75; D. VI, 14; A. VI, 18; scales 48. Body elongate; the back not greatly 
elevated; a line at right angles to the posterior margin of the maxillary passing notably in front of 
origin of dorsal; upper profile moderately concave over eyes; head rather long; snout moderate, 
3.75 in head; eye 4.1; interorbital 5.4; mouth large, oblique; lower jaw projecting; maxillary reach- 
ing nearly opposite posterior margin of pupil, 2.25 in head; preopercular margin with small serra- 
tions at lower posterior angle; gill rakers slender, 21 on lower limb of first arch; scales moderate, 
weakly ctenoid; dorsal and anal fins similar, but with the spines in the anal rather stronger; caudal 
fin rather deeply emarginate; ventral fin moderate, inserted a little behind base of pectorals; pectoral 
fins rather pointed, 1.7 in head. 
Color olive silvery, mottled with darker, irregular spots and blotches, forming more or less 
definite bars on upper part of sides; the dark markings extending on dorsal and caudal and to a 
smaller extent on the anal; ventrals and pectorals plain translucent. 
A single specimen of this species, 160 millimeters (6J4 inches) in length, was taken in slightly 
brackish water. P. sparoides, a closely related species, was not seen in brackish water. Smith 
and Bean (1899, p. 185) offer the following remarks relative to crappies: 
Both of these species were introduced into the Potomac River and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal by the Fish Commission 
in 1884, and have become very common in places, noticeably Little River, Four-mile Run, Eastern Branch, and in the river near 
Seven Locks; also through the canal as far as Harpers Ferry. P. annularis is the more abundant here. These are excellent game 
and food fishes and many are now caught by anglers. The two species are much alike and not usually distinguished by local fisher- 
men, who apply the names crappie, strawberry bass, strawberry perch, and speckled perch indiscriminately. 
The species are distinguished principally by the difference in the depth of the body, the 
shape of the upper anterior profile, and the color; P. annularis being more slender, with a more con- 
cave profile, and having more or less definite dark bars on the sides; whereas, the dark markings in 
P. sparoides are irregular, more or less elongate, never forming vertical bars. A straight line placed 
at the posterior margin of maxillary and at right angles to the anterior margin of the maxillary passes 
in front of the dorsal in P. annularis, while a line similarly placed in P. sparoides passes through 
the dorsal. 
This crappie, according to published accounts, is strictly carnivorous, living mainly on insects, 
crustaceans, and fish. Spawning takes place during the spring. 
This fish lives under a large variety of conditions, adapting itself particularly well to artificial 
ponds. It has been widely distributed by fish culturists and is an important food fish in many 
localities. It is only a straggler in brackish water and is of no commercial importance among the 
fishes of Chesapeake Bay. 
The maximum weight attained by this crappie is recorded as 3 pounds. (Bean, 1903, p. 461.) 
The average weight of market fish, however, is less than a pound. 
i^S/ 
