Home/Species/ Longear Sunfish

Lepomis megalotis

(Rafinesque, 1820)

Longear Sunfish

GNRUnranked Found in 12 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

GNRUnrankedGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.1310442

Element CodeAFCQB110C0

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVertebrate Animal

KingdomAnimalia

PhylumCraniata

ClassActinopterygii

OrderCentrarchiformes

FamilyCentrarchidae

GenusLepomis

Concept Reference

Kim, D., B.H. Bauer, and T.J. Near. 2022. Introgression and species delimitation in the longear sunfish Lepomis megalotis (Teleostei: Percomorpha: Centrarchidae). Systematic Biology 71(2): 273-285.

Taxonomic Comments

This record represents a narrow sense of Lepomis megalotis that excludes aquilensis, solis, and two as yet undescribed species (Lepomis sp. Ouachita and L. sp. Ozark) (Kim et al. 2022, Page et al. 2023).

Phylogenomics and phenotype differences support the recognition of six species in the Lepomis megalotis complex. L. aquilensis and L. solis are removed from synonymy with L. megalotis. Two others, L. sp. Ouachita and L. sp. Ozark require formal description. Lepomis peltastes was previously removed from synonymy with L. megalotis. Together, these six species exhibit biogeographic patterns consistent with the hypothesized paleodrainage patterns for central and southern North America (Kim et al. 2022).

Lepomis megalotis hybridizes with L. solis in the middle and upper Tennessee River, with L. peltastes in the upper Ohio River, and with L. sp. Ozark in the Osage River.

Ecology & Habitat

Other Nations (1)

United StatesNNR

Province	Rank	Native
Kentucky	S4	Yes
Tennessee	SNR	Yes
Louisiana	S5	Yes
Ohio	S5	Yes
Indiana	S5	Yes
Missouri	SNR	Yes
Illinois	S5	Yes
Maryland	SNR	Yes
New Jersey	SNA	No
Iowa	SNR	Yes
West Virginia	S5	Yes
Mississippi	SNR	Yes
Pennsylvania	S1	Yes
Arkansas	SNR	Yes
Virginia	S4	Yes

Roadless Areas (12)

Arkansas (7)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bear Mountain	Ouachita National Forest	1,910
Dismal Creek	Ozark-St. Francis National Forest	9,160
East Fork	Ozark-St. Francis National Forest	13,037
Gee Creek	Ozark-St. Francis National Forest	7,957
Little Blakely	Ouachita National Forest	3,342
Penhook	Ozark-St. Francis National Forest	6,566
Richland Creek	Ozark-St. Francis National Forest	571

Illinois (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bay Creek	Shawnee National Forest	120

Kentucky (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Wolfpen	Daniel Boone National Forest	2,835

Louisiana (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Saline Bayou W & S River Corridor	Kisatchie National Forest	5,355

Mississippi (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Sandy Creek Rare Ii Area	Homochitto National Forest	2,620

Missouri (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Spring Creek Rare II Study Area	Mark Twain National Forest	4,899

References (2)

Kim, D., B.H. Bauer, and T.J. Near. 2022. Introgression and species delimitation in the longear sunfish <i>Lepomis megalotis</i> (Teleostei: Percomorpha: Centrarchidae). Systematic Biology 71(2): 273-285.
Page, L. M., K. E. Bemis, T. E. Dowling, H.S. Espinosa-Pérez, L.T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, K. E. Hartel, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, M. A. Neigbors, J. J. Schmitter-Soto, and H. J. Walker, Jr. 2023. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Eighth edition. American Fisheries Society (AFS), Special Publication 37, Bethesda, Maryland, 439 pp.