PHYLUM:
Chordata; CLASS: Osteichthyes; SUPERORDER: Teleostei
FAMILY: Centrarchidae
GENUS:
Lepomis SPECIES: gibbosus DESCRIBER:
(Linnaeus)
Position
of Lepomis
gibbosus in
worldwide arrangement of fish species. What
are PUMPKINSEEDS?
Pumpkinseeds are deep-bodied, laterally compressed,
plate-shaped, 17 - 23 cm (7 - 9 in) in length sunfishes
in the family Centrarchidae. They are golden brown to
olive on their heads and backs; golden with irregular,
wavy, interconnecting blue-green lines on their sides;
and bronze to red-orange on their bellies. They are
the most common sunfish in Canada extending from British
Columbia eastward to Nova Scotia in lakes, ponds, weedy
bays of large lakes and in quiet waters of rivers and
streams. Pumpkinseeds eat insect larvae and nymphs,
sideswimmers
(amphipods),
midge larvae, snails and other insects.
Spawning
Season of Adult PUMPKINSEED: Late spring to early
summer, May to July.
Where PUMPKINSEED Eggs are Found: Males
dig a shallow nest 100 mm to 400 mm in diameter
in shallow water 150 mm to 300 mm deep in areas
of submersed aquatic vegetation, mainly Najas spp.
and Potamogeton spp. or
even gravelly bottoms; several or numerous nests
are located in one area. Female PUMPKINSEEDS lay
eggs in the nest and males fertilize them; males
remain to guard and fan eggs until the babies hatch
and swim up and out of the nest.
Characteristics
of Eggs: Demersal, adhesive, transparent,
single oil globule, 0.3-0.4 mm in diameter,
and one or two other minute oil droplets
may be present, diameter of eggs 0.8
to 1.3 mm.
Size
of Babies at Hatching: 2
to 4 mm at 48 to 72 hours of incubation.
Movements of PUMPKINSEED Babies after hatching: Baby
PUMPKINSEEDS remain in the nests while
absorbing their yolk materials after which they
swim up out of the nest. They were observed swimming
around the lake in both open limnetic areas and
within beds of pondweeds, Potamogeton spp.,
in considerable aggregations, but not in distinct
schools (Refs. 06, 07, 17, 21).
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