Stats

Lifespan: 6-12 yrs
Size: Small
Diet: Carnivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: School
Biome: Freshwater lake
Range: North America
Movement: Swimming
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Spines
Status: Uncommon

About

The pumpkinseed is a vivid freshwater sunfish native to eastern North America, instantly recognisable by its orange-spotted flanks and the bright red-orange spot edged in sky-blue on its gill cover. Despite rarely exceeding 20 cm, it is a scrappy ambush predator capable of crushing snail shells with its hardened throat teeth.

Life cycle

1.
hatchling fry
A tiny fry hatches with a yolk sac and begins free-swimming once the sac is absorbed.
2.
juvenile
A juvenile takes on adult body shape and feeds on small prey, often in nursery waters.
3.
adult
Fully grown at adult size and coloration.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Centrarchiformes
Family: Centrarchidae
Genus: Lepomis
Species: Lepomis gibbosus