Animalia Life
Lepomis megalotis
FAMILY
Centrarchidae
TAXONOMY
Lepomis megalotis Rafinesque, 1820, Licking and Sandy Rivers,
Kentucky, United States. Five or six subspecies are recognized.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Creek perch, Great Lakes longear, northern longear.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Maximum total length 9.5 in (24 cm). Similar in body shape to
bluegill, but with a notably larger opercular flap, especially in
the adult male. Young olive with yellow specks; adults red
above and orange below, and decorated on the body with
small, blue spots and on the opercle with blue, curving lines.
DISTRIBUTION
Northeast North America, from northeastern Mexico and
north to the Great Lakes.
HABITAT
Prefers shallow, weedy waters of lakes and ponds; also found in
quiet streams.
BEHAVIOR
During the spring-to-summer breeding season, males prepare
nests in shallow waters along the shoreline. More than one females
may approach one male’s nest. Spawning occurs over the
nests, and the male offers parental care to the young. In addition,
some males engage in the sneaker-spawning
BEHAVIOR
typical
of many centrarchids.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds in shallow waters on small mollusks, insects, and small
fishes. Predators include other piscivorous fishes.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Females lay demersal, adhesive eggs, which hatch in three to
seven days. Sexual maturity occurs at about two to three years.
CONSERVATION STATUS
American and Canadian populations are not considered to be
at risk. Mexican populations are threatened by degradation of
their habitats due to poor water-management practices.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
The basis for a recreational fishery; sometimes kept as an
aquarium fish.
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