Identification Chart for Sunfish?
Does anyone know of an internet site that has a good, clear identification chart for sunfish? It would also be helpful if the chart had the key identification points clearly marked with an arrow or something. ie. like an arrow going to the long "ear flap" on the Long Ear Sunfish. Just plain pictures don't seem to work very well since the colors can vary so greatly. Thanks in advance for your help. 8T :)
North American Sunfish (Lepomis)
North American Continent Sunfish, all belong to a large group that, depending on the region are called; Bream, Brim, copper nose.
Botanically this genius is refereed to as...
Kingdom: Animalia (Animal)
Phylum: Chordata (Vertebrates)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-fin fish)
Order: Perciformes (Perch like in shape)
Family: Centrarchidae (Fliers)
Genus: Lepomis (genus name in larger family grouping)
Species: 12 species in the Lepomis genus, 4 subspecies.
L. auritus: Redbrest Sunfish
L. cyanellus: Green Sunfish
L. gibbosus: Pumphinseed Sunfish
L. gulosus: Warmouth Sunfish
L. humilis: Orangespotted Sunfish
L. macrochirus: Bluegill Sunfish
L. macrochirus purpurescens: Florida Bluegill Sunfish
L. macrochirus ssp: Handpainted Bluegill Sunfish
L. marginatius: Dollar Sunfish
L. megalotis megalotis: Central Longear Sunfish
L. megalotis peltastes: Northern Longear Sunfish
L. megalotis ssp: Ox-bow Longear Sunfish
L. microlophus: Redear Sunfish
L. minatus: Redspotted Sunfish
L. punctatus: Spotted Sunfish
L. symmetricus: Banturn Sunfish
Black Bass also belong to the Centrarchidae Family, but they are a different Genus (Micropterus)
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepomis