27 Şubat 2013 Çarşamba

Illinois State Fish

Illinois State Fish

Bluegill (common name)
Lepomis macrochirus (scientific name)

Overview

Bluegills are a very common type of sunfish found in ponds and lakes throughout eastern and central North America. They are olive to yellow in color with a blue or purplish sheen and vertical stripes. They have a distinctive dark blue or black flap behind the gills (hence the fish’s common name), and a prominent dark blotch close to the tail. The bluegill was selected by the schoolchildren of Illinois to be the official state fish in 1986. Young anglers like the fish because it is colorful, relatively easy to catch, and puts up a good fight.

Close-up

STATUS
Official
PHYSICAL DETAILS
Length: Up to 10 in (25 cm)
Weight: Up to 5 lbs (2.15 kg)
LIFESPAN
Up to 11 years
HABITAT
Quiet, somewhat weedy lakes, ponds, bays, and slow-moving streams.
Range: Eastern and central North America, including the lower Great Lakes and the Mississippi River
Water type: Freshwater
Water temp: 32–80°F (0-27°C)
Conservation Status: Secure
DIET
Bluegills eat larvae, insects, plankton, snails, other fish, fish eggs (including their own), and sometimes aquatic plants.
REPRODUCTION
Fertilization: External
Spawning frequency: June-July
Mating behavior: Distinct Pairing
Egg laying: Bluegills build saucer-shaped depressions in areas with sand, gravel, or mud bottoms 2–6 feet (60–180 cm) deep and very close to shore. Female bluegills spawn up to three times a year, releasing 2,000 to 80,000 eggs each time. Males assume a very bold blue and orange coloration on their flanks when they are guarding their nests, although some males assume the female’s coloration and sneak past guarding males. These "sneaker" males will enter nests and fertilize the eggs.
USES
Game fish
OTHER NAMES
Sun perch, bream, brim, blue sunfish, copperbelly, roach
TRIVIA
  • Bluegills, crappies, and sunfish are often called "panfish" due to fact that they are relatively small and are often pan-fried.

Click to enlarge an image
State Fish
Bluegill
State Fish
Bluegill Showing Size
State Fish
Bluegill in Weedy Habitat
State Fish
Colorful Bluegill

CLASSIFICATION
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Perciformes
Family:Centrarchidae
Genus:Lepomis
Species:L. macrochirus
Raw Data Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Author: World Trade Press

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