Pumpkinseed
Encyclopedia
The pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus) is a freshwater
fish
of the sunfish family
(Centrarchidae
) of order
Perciformes
. It is also referred to as "pond perch", "common sunfish", "punkys", and "sunny".
. They can now be found from Washington and Oregon
on the Pacific Coast
to Georgia
on the Atlantic Coast
and are primarily found in the north-eastern United States
. The pumpkinseed’s natural range is from New Brunswick
down the east coast to South Carolina
. It then runs inland to the middle of North America
, and extends through Iowa
and back through Pennsylvania
. The greatest populations of pumpkinseed sunfish are in the northeastern region of the United States as they are rarely found in the south-central or southwestern region of the continent.
In Europe
, the pumpkinseed is considered an invasive species
. They were introduced to European waters, and could outcompete existing fish, therefore making them invasive or alien species.
Pumpkinseeds are very similar to that of a bluegill
, and are often found in the same habitats. One difference between the two species is their opercular flap. The flap is black in both species, but the pumpkinseed has a crimson spot in the shape of a halfmoon on the back portion os its opercular flap. Pumpkinseeds have 7-8 vertical irregular bands on their sides that are duller in color compared to the bluegill.
.
Pumpkinseeds are more tolerant of low oxygen levels than bluegills are, but less tolerant of warm water. Groups of young fish school close to shore, but adults tend to travel in groups of 2-4 in slightly deeper yet still covered waters. Pumpkinseeds are active throughout the day, but they rest at night near the bottom or in protected areas in rocks or near submerged logs.
larva, small mollusks and other crustaceans, worm
s, minnow
fry and even other smaller pumpkinseeds. Occasionally they will feed on small pieces of vegetation as well. Pumpkinseed sunfish have a terminal mouth, allowing it to open at the anterior end of the snout.
Pumpkinseed sunfish that live in waters with larger gastropods have larger mouths and associated muscles in order to crack the shells of the larger gastropods.
Because they tend to remain in the shallows and feed all day, pumpkinseeds are relatively easy to catch from shore. They will bite at most bait—including garden worms, insects, leeches, or bits of fish. They will also take small artificial lures and can be fished for with a fly rod with wet flies or dry flies. They will also hit at grubs early in the winter but are less active from mid- to late winter. They may be easy to catch and popular with the youngest anglers, but pumpkinseeds are often sought by adults as well. The fish do put up an aggressive fight on line, and they have an excellent flavor and are low in fat and high in protein.
Nests are arranged in colonies consisting of about 3-15 nests each. Oftentimes, pumpkinseeds will build their nests near bluegill colonies, and the two species will interbreed. Male pumpkinseeds are vigorous and aggressive and will defend their nests by spreading their opercula. Because of this aggressive behavior, pumpkinseeds tend to maintain larger territories than bluegills.
Females arrive after the nests are completed, coming in from deeper waters. The male then releases milt
and the female releases eggs. Females may spawn in more than one nest, and more than one female may use the same nest. Also, more than one female will spawn with a male in one nest simultaneously. Females are able produce 1,500 to 1,700 eggs, depending on their size and age.
Once released, the eggs stick to gravel, sand, or other debris in the nest, and they hatch in as little as three days. Females leave the nest immediately after spawning, but males remain and guard their offspring. The male guards them for about the first 11 days, returning them to the nest in his mouth if they stray from the nesting site.
The young fish stay on or near the shallow breeding area and grow to about 2 inches in their first year. Sexual maturity
is usually achieved by age 2. Pumpkinseeds have lived to be 12 years old in captivity
, but in nature most do not exceed 6–8 years old.
The pumpkinseed sunfish has developed a specific method of protection. Along the dorsal fin
, there are ten to eleven spines, and three additional spines on the anal fin. These spines are very sharp which aid the fish in defense. The pumpkinseed has the ability to anticipate approaching predators (or prey) via a lateral line system allowing it to detect changes or movements in the water using different mechanical receptors.
The bright colored gill plates of the pumpkinseed sunfish also serve as a method of protection and dominance. Also known as an eye spot
, the dark patch at the posterior of the gill plate provides the illusion that the eye of the fish is larger and positioned further back on the body, thusly making the fish itself seem up to four times larger than it actually is. When a pumpkinseed feels threatened by a predator, it will flare its gills to make it seem larger in size, and show off the flashy red coloration. Males of the species will also flare their gills in the spring spawning season in a show of dominance and territoriality.
In the southern most regions of its distribution, the Pumpkinseed Sunfish has developed a larger mouth opening and abnormally large jaw muscles to aid in feeding. In the southern region the Pumpkinseed Sunfish's primary forage is small crustaceans and mollusks. The larger bite radius and enhanced jaw muscles allow the Pumpkinseed Sunfish to crack the shells of their prey to attain the soft flesh within, thusly providing one common name of 'Shellcracker'.
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
of the sunfish family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
(Centrarchidae
Centrarchidae
The sunfishes are a family of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the order Perciformes. The type genus is Centrarchus . The family's 27 species includes many fishes familiar to North Americans, including the rock bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, and crappies...
) of order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
Perciformes
Perciformes
The Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, is one of the largest orders of vertebrates, containing about 40% of all bony fish. Perciformes means perch-like. They belong to the class of ray-finned fish and comprise over 7,000 species found in almost all aquatic environments...
. It is also referred to as "pond perch", "common sunfish", "punkys", and "sunny".
Range and distribution
Pumpkinseed sunfish have been introduced throughout all of North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. They can now be found from Washington and Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
on the Pacific Coast
Pacific Coast
A country's Pacific coast is the part of its coast bordering the Pacific Ocean.-The Americas:Countries on the western side of the Americas have a Pacific coast as their western border.* Geography of Canada* Geography of Chile* Geography of Colombia...
to Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
on the Atlantic Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
and are primarily found in the north-eastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The pumpkinseed’s natural range is from New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
down the east coast to South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. It then runs inland to the middle of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, and extends through Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
and back through Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. The greatest populations of pumpkinseed sunfish are in the northeastern region of the United States as they are rarely found in the south-central or southwestern region of the continent.
In Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the pumpkinseed is considered an invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
. They were introduced to European waters, and could outcompete existing fish, therefore making them invasive or alien species.
Physical description
Pumpkinseeds typically are 6-8 inches in length, but can grow up to 10 inches. They weigh less than 1 pound with the world record being 1 pound 6 ounces. They are orange, green, yellow or blue in color, with speckles over their sides and back and a yellow-orange breast and belly. The coloration of the ctenoid scales of the pumpkinseed is one of the most vibrant of any freshwater fish and can range from an olive-green or brown to bright orange and blue. The sides are covered with vertical bars that are a faint green or blue, which are typically more prevalent in female pumpkinseeds. Orange spots may cover the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins and the cheeks have blue lines across them. The pumpkinseed is noted for the orange-red spot on the margin of its black gill cover. The pectoral fins of a pumpkinseed can be amber or clear, while the dorsal spines are black. Pumpkinseeds have a small body that is shaped much like that of a pumpkinseed, giving them their common name. They have a small mouth with an upper jaw stopping right under the eye.Pumpkinseeds are very similar to that of a bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
, and are often found in the same habitats. One difference between the two species is their opercular flap. The flap is black in both species, but the pumpkinseed has a crimson spot in the shape of a halfmoon on the back portion os its opercular flap. Pumpkinseeds have 7-8 vertical irregular bands on their sides that are duller in color compared to the bluegill.
Habitat
Pumpkinseeds typically live in warm, calm lakes, ponds and pools of creeks and small rivers with plenty of vegetation. They prefer clear water where they can find shelter to hide. They tend to stay near the shore and can be found in numbers within shallow and protected areas. Pumpkinseeds are active during the day and rest near the bottom in protected or covered areas such as submerged logs during the night. They will feed at all water levels form the surface to the bottom in the daylight, and their heaviest feeding will be in the afternoon. Pumpkinseed sunfish usually travel together in schools that can also include bluegills and other sunfishLepomis
Lepomis is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The most recognizable species of the sixteen in this genus is the Bluegill....
.
Pumpkinseeds are more tolerant of low oxygen levels than bluegills are, but less tolerant of warm water. Groups of young fish school close to shore, but adults tend to travel in groups of 2-4 in slightly deeper yet still covered waters. Pumpkinseeds are active throughout the day, but they rest at night near the bottom or in protected areas in rocks or near submerged logs.
Dietary habits
Pumpkinseeds feed on a variety of small food both at the surface of the water and at the bottom. Among their favorites are insects, mosquitoMosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
larva, small mollusks and other crustaceans, worm
Worm
The term worm refers to an obsolete taxon used by Carolus Linnaeus and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck for all non-arthropod invertebrate animals, and stems from the Old English word wyrm. Currently it is used to describe many different distantly-related animals that typically have a long cylindrical...
s, minnow
Minnow
Minnow is a general term used to refer to small freshwater and saltwater fish, especially those used as bait fish or for fishing bait. More specifically, it refers to small freshwater fish of the carp family.-True minnows:...
fry and even other smaller pumpkinseeds. Occasionally they will feed on small pieces of vegetation as well. Pumpkinseed sunfish have a terminal mouth, allowing it to open at the anterior end of the snout.
Pumpkinseed sunfish that live in waters with larger gastropods have larger mouths and associated muscles in order to crack the shells of the larger gastropods.
Human importance
The pumpkinseed sunfish are typically very likely to bite on a worm, which makes them easy to catch while fishing. Many anglers consider the pumpkinseed to be a nuisance fish, as it bites so easily and frequently when the fisherman is attempting to catch something else. The pumpkinseeds are very popular with young fisherman, however, due to their willingness to bite on worms, their abundance, and their close locations to the shore. Although many people consider the meat of a pumpkinseed to be good tasting, it is typically not a popular sport fish due to its small size.Because they tend to remain in the shallows and feed all day, pumpkinseeds are relatively easy to catch from shore. They will bite at most bait—including garden worms, insects, leeches, or bits of fish. They will also take small artificial lures and can be fished for with a fly rod with wet flies or dry flies. They will also hit at grubs early in the winter but are less active from mid- to late winter. They may be easy to catch and popular with the youngest anglers, but pumpkinseeds are often sought by adults as well. The fish do put up an aggressive fight on line, and they have an excellent flavor and are low in fat and high in protein.
Conservation status
The pumpkinseed sunfish is very common and is not listed in IUCN status or CITES Appendix. Spawning grounds of the pumpkinseeds can be disturbed by shoreline development and shoreline erosion from heavy lake use. Their susceptibility to silt and pollution makes the pumpkinseed a good indicator of the cleanliness and health of water.Reproduction and life cycle
Once water temperatures reach 55-63 degrees F in the late spring or early summer, the male pumpkinseeds will begin to build nests. Nesting sites are typically in shallow water on sand or gravel lake bottoms. The males will use their caudal fins to sweep out shallow, oval-shaped nesting holes that stretch about twice the length of the pumpkinseed itself. The fish will remove debris and large rocks from their nests with their mouths.Nests are arranged in colonies consisting of about 3-15 nests each. Oftentimes, pumpkinseeds will build their nests near bluegill colonies, and the two species will interbreed. Male pumpkinseeds are vigorous and aggressive and will defend their nests by spreading their opercula. Because of this aggressive behavior, pumpkinseeds tend to maintain larger territories than bluegills.
Females arrive after the nests are completed, coming in from deeper waters. The male then releases milt
Milt
Milt is the seminal fluid of fish, mollusks, and certain other water-dwelling animals who reproduce by spraying this fluid, which contains the sperm, onto roe .-Milt as food:...
and the female releases eggs. Females may spawn in more than one nest, and more than one female may use the same nest. Also, more than one female will spawn with a male in one nest simultaneously. Females are able produce 1,500 to 1,700 eggs, depending on their size and age.
Once released, the eggs stick to gravel, sand, or other debris in the nest, and they hatch in as little as three days. Females leave the nest immediately after spawning, but males remain and guard their offspring. The male guards them for about the first 11 days, returning them to the nest in his mouth if they stray from the nesting site.
The young fish stay on or near the shallow breeding area and grow to about 2 inches in their first year. Sexual maturity
Sexual maturity
Sexual maturity is the age or stage when an organism can reproduce. It is sometimes considered synonymous with adulthood, though the two are distinct...
is usually achieved by age 2. Pumpkinseeds have lived to be 12 years old in captivity
Captivity (animal)
Animals that live under human care are in captivity. Captivity can be used as a generalizing term to describe the keeping of either domesticated animals or wild animals. This may include for example farms, private homes and zoos...
, but in nature most do not exceed 6–8 years old.
Adaptations
The pumpkinseed sunfish has adapted in many ways to the surroundings that it lives in. Its skin reflects camouflage for its habitat. The pattern that appears on the pumpkinseed resembles that of the sunlight patterns that reflect on the shallow water of bays and river beds.The pumpkinseed sunfish has developed a specific method of protection. Along the dorsal fin
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
, there are ten to eleven spines, and three additional spines on the anal fin. These spines are very sharp which aid the fish in defense. The pumpkinseed has the ability to anticipate approaching predators (or prey) via a lateral line system allowing it to detect changes or movements in the water using different mechanical receptors.
The bright colored gill plates of the pumpkinseed sunfish also serve as a method of protection and dominance. Also known as an eye spot
Eyespot (mimicry)
An eyespot is an eye-like marking. They are found on butterflies, reptiles, birds and fish. In members of the Felidae family , the white circular markings on the backs of the ears are termed ocelli, and they are functionally similar to eyespots in other animals.Eyespots may be a form of...
, the dark patch at the posterior of the gill plate provides the illusion that the eye of the fish is larger and positioned further back on the body, thusly making the fish itself seem up to four times larger than it actually is. When a pumpkinseed feels threatened by a predator, it will flare its gills to make it seem larger in size, and show off the flashy red coloration. Males of the species will also flare their gills in the spring spawning season in a show of dominance and territoriality.
In the southern most regions of its distribution, the Pumpkinseed Sunfish has developed a larger mouth opening and abnormally large jaw muscles to aid in feeding. In the southern region the Pumpkinseed Sunfish's primary forage is small crustaceans and mollusks. The larger bite radius and enhanced jaw muscles allow the Pumpkinseed Sunfish to crack the shells of their prey to attain the soft flesh within, thusly providing one common name of 'Shellcracker'.