Teleostei (teleosts) >
Centrarchiformes (Basses) >
Centrarchidae (Sunfishes)
Etymology: Micropterus: Greek, mikros = small + Greek,pteron = wing, fin (Ref. 45335); punctulatus: punctulatus meaning dotted, referring to the rows of spots on the lower sides (Ref. 10294).
More on author: Rafinesque.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Subtropical; 40°N - 29°N
North America: Mississippi River basin from southern Ohio and West Virginia to southeastern Kansas, and south to the Gulf of Mexico, USA; Gulf Slope drainages from Chattahoochee in Georgia to Guadalupe River in Texas, USA. Introduced in southern Africa and has become established in several isolated water bodies.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 63.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 40637); common length : 30.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 12193); max. published weight: 4.7 kg (Ref. 40637); max. reported age: 7 years (Ref. 12193)
Inhabit clear, gravelly flowing pools and runs of creeks and small to medium rivers (Ref. 6465); also found in streams, lakes and reservoirs (Ref. 10294). Juveniles feed on small crustaceans and midge larvae while adults eat insects, larger crustaceans, frogs, worms, grubs and small fish (Ref. 6465, 10294).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Assuming same reproductive mode as M. dolomieu.
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr, 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p. (Ref. 5723)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Gamefish: yes
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5001 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01175 (0.00941 - 0.01466), b=3.08 (3.02 - 3.14), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.6 ±0.53 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Assuming tm=3-4).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (45 of 100).