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Micropterus salmoides  (Lacepède, 1802)

Largemouth black bass
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Native range | All suitable habitat
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Micropterus salmoides   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Micropterus salmoides (Largemouth black bass)
Micropterus salmoides
Picture by Scarola, J.F.


country information

Common names: [No common name]
Occurrence:
Salinity:
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: no uses
Comments:
National Checklist:
Country Information:
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Centrarchidae (Sunfishes)
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Main reference

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 97.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5723); common length : 40.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 556); max. published weight: 10.1 kg (Ref. 4699); max. reported age: 23 years (Ref. 46974)

Environment

Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 7.0 - 7.5; dH range: 10 - ?; depth range ? - 7 m (Ref. 1998)

Climate / Range

Subtropical; 10°C - 32°C (Ref. 12741), preferred ?; 47°N - 26°N

Distribution

North America: St. Lawrence - Great Lakes, Hudson Bay (Red River), and Mississippi River basins; Atlantic drainages from North Carolina to Florida and to northern Mexico. The species has been introduced widely as a game fish and is now cosmopolitan. Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10 - 12; Vertebrae: 30 - 32. Mouth large; maxillary extending beyond the eye. Pelvic fins not joined by a membrane. Green to olive dorsally, milk-white to yellow ventrally, with a black band running from the operculum to the base of the caudal fin. Caudal fin rounded. Caudal fin with 17 rays (Ref. 2196).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Adults inhabit clear, vegetated lakes, ponds, swamps, and backwaters and pools of creeks and rivers (Ref. 5723). Usually found over mud or sand and common in impoundments (Ref. 5723). They prefer quiet, clear water and over-grown banks. Adults feed on fishes, crayfish and frogs; young feed on crustaceans, insects and small fishes. Sometimes cannibalistic. They don't feed during spawning; as well as when the water temperature is below 5°C and above 37°C (Ref. 30578). An introduced species in Europe reported to avoid fast-flowing waters and to occur in estuaries with a salinity up to 13 ppt (Ref. 59043). Popular game fish in North America. Preyed upon by herons, bitterns, and kingfishers (Ref. 1998). Excellent food fish (Ref. 1998).

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Threat to humans

  Potential pest



Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums

Tools

Special reports

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Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD50 = 0.5001 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
3.8   ±0.4 se; Based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.06-0.14; tm=3-5; tmax=11; Fec=2,000)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
Moderate to high vulnerability (45 of 100)
Price category (Ref. 80766)
Unknown