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Species
Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque, 1819
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
Maximum size: 410 mm TL
Bluegill travel in schools and come into shallow water only at night. During the day they try to remain hidden.
Known Predators:
- great blue herons (Ardea herodias)
- belted kingfishers (Cercyle alcyon)
- raccoons (Procyon lotor)
- brown trout (Salmo trutta)
- largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
- striped bass (Morone saxatilis)
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2013, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Lepomis_macrochirus/ |
Males make nests in colonies with from 20 to 50 other males in shallow water less than 1 m deep. The nests are circular shallow depressions, about 20 to 30cm in diameter, in sand or fine gravel from which the male has fanned all debris.
Once his nest is made, a male waits in it and grunts to attract females. When one enters, both male and female swim in circles. Eventually they stop and touch bellies, the male in an upright posture and the female leaning at an angle. They release eggs and sperm and then start the process again by swimming in circles.
A female deposits her eggs into several nests, and a male's nest may be used by several females.
Mating System: polygynandrous (promiscuous)
Spawning occurs when water is between 17 and 31 degrees C; in the Chesapeake Bay area it can begin when water temperatures reach 12 degrees C. Females can carry up to 50,000 eggs which take several days to hatch. After a week, young leave the nest.
Breeding season: Breeding occurs from May to September (Chesapeake Bay).
Average number of offspring: 50000.0.
Average time to hatching: 3.0 days.
Average : 7.0 days.
Average time to independence: 3 days.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 1.0 to 2.0 years.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 1.0 to 2.0 years.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization (External ); oviparous
Males guard nests both before and after females lay eggs. Paternal care involves fanning the eggs and chasing away predators.
Parental Investment: pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Protecting: Male)
- Murdy, E., R. Baker, J. Musick. 1997. Fishes of Chesapeake Bay. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
- Conservation Commission of Missouri, 2002. "Bluegill fishing in Missouri" (On-line). Accessed 26 March 2002 at http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/fish/fishid/bluegill/.
- Williams, T. 1996. "Fish capsule report: Lepomis macrochirus" (On-line). Accessed 26 March 2002 at http://www.umich.edu/~bio440/fishcapsules96/Lepomis.html.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Lepomis_macrochirus/ |
Several countries where this species has been introduced report that it causes ecological problems. Bluegill overcrowd and stunt the growth of other fish and may even be responsible for causing extinction of a native fish in Panama. It is considered a pest in its introduced range.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Lepomis_macrochirus/ |
41.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 5723)); max. published weight: 2,150 g (Ref. 4699); max. reported age: 10 years (Ref. 72462)
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Rainer Froese, FishBase |
Source | http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=3375 |
Bluegill are an important prey species for larger fish predators. They also impact insect populations by eating aquatic larvae.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Lepomis_macrochirus/ |
The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.
There are 22 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.
Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.
See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.
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This is an important game fish in the United States. Bluegill are fairly easy to catch and are good to eat. They are also used to stock rivers and lakes with food for Micropterus salmoides, another important game fish.
Positive Impacts: food ; ecotourism
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Lepomis_macrochirus/ |
A dark blue or black "ear" on an extension of the gill cover called the opercular flap; a prominent dark blotch at the base of the dorsal fin, close to the tail; typically olive-green backs, with a blue or purplish sheen along the sides; faint vertical bars may be present along the sides; breeding males may have more blue and orange coloration on their flanks (Ref. 44091).
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Crispina B. Binohlan, FishBase |
Source | http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=3375 |
Bluegill travel in schools and come into shallow water only at night. During the day they try to remain hidden.
Known Predators:
- great blue herons (Ardea_herodias)
- belted kingfishers (Cercyle_alcyon)
- raccoons (Procyon_lotor)
- brown trout (Salmo_trutta)
- largemouth bass (Micropterus_salmoides)
- striped bass (Morone_saxatilis)
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | ©1995-2012, The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors |
Source | http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Lepomis_macrochirus/ |