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Home/Species/ Ozark Bass

Ambloplites constellatus

Cashner and Suttkus, 1977

Ozark Bass

G4Apparently Secure (G4G5) Found in 1 roadless area NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104334
Element CodeAFCQB06030
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderCentrarchiformes
FamilyCentrarchidae
GenusAmbloplites
Concept Reference
Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
This species is closely related to (and was formerly included in) the rock bass, A. rupestris (Cashner and Suttkus 1977, Lee et al. 1980).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2011-10-14
Change Date2011-10-14
Edition Date2011-10-14
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Range Extent5000-200,000 square km (about 2000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Common in small native range in the White River system in Arkansas and Missouri; no major threats.
Range Extent Comments
Native range includes the Ozark Upland section of the White River system in Missouri and Arkansas; the species has been introduced in the Osage River (Missouri) and in other locations outside the native range, but apparently no established populations have resulted from these transplants (Robison and Buchanan 1988, Pflieger 1997, Fuller 2011, Page and Burr 2011). This is one of the most common centrarchids in the Buffalo River and unimpounded sections of the upper White River (Lee et al. 1980).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a fairly large number of occurrences (subpopulations) (Cashner and Suttkus 1977).
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats are known.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This bass inhabits creeks and small to medium rivers, with permanent flow, high dissolved oxygen, abundant aquatic vegetation, low turbidity, and silt-free substrates; usually in clear rocky pools near stream banks, large boulders, or brush (Lee et al. 1980, Robison and Buchanan 1988, Pflieger 1997, Page and Burr 2011). In the Buffalo River, Arkansas, most males nested on gravel or cobble substrates; most nest occurred within 1 m downstream of cover (Walters et al. 2000).

Ecology

Predation and high water appeared to be the major cause of poor brood success in the Buffalo River, Arkansas (Walters et al. 2000).

Reproduction

In the Buffalo River, Arkansas, egg deposition began when water temperature reached 17 C; a very low percentage of nests were successful in producing dispersing young (Walters et al. 2000).
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
MissouriS4Yes
ArkansasS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
No known threats———

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Roadless Areas (1)
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Richland CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest571
References (12)
  1. Cashner, R. C., and R. D. Suttkus. 1977. <i>Ambloplites constellatus</i>, a new species of rock bass from the Ozark Upland of Arkansas and Missouri with a review of western rock bass populations. American Midland Naturalist 98:147-161.
  2. Fuller, P. 2011. <i> Ambloplites constellatus</i>. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL. http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=372. RevisionDate: 10/3/2011.
  3. Lee, D. S., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980. Atlas of North American freshwater fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina. i-x + 854 pp.
  4. Nelson, J. S., E. J. Crossman, H. Espinosa-Perez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, and J. D. Williams. 2004. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 29, Bethesda, Maryland. 386 pp.
  5. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp.
  6. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 2011. Peterson field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. xix + 663 pp.
  7. Page, L. M., H. Espinosa-Pérez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, R. L. Mayden, and J. S. Nelson. 2013. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Seventh edition. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 34, Bethesda, Maryland.
  8. 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.
  9. Pflieger, W. L. 1997a. The fishes of Missouri. Revised edition. Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City. vi + 372 pp.
  10. Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
  11. Robison, H. W. and T. M. Buchanan. 1988. Fishes of Arkansas. The University of Arkansas Press, Fayetteville, Arkansas. 536 pp.
  12. Walters, J., C. Annett and G. Siegwarth. 2000. Breeding ecology and behavior of Ozark bass <i>Ambloplites constellatus</i>. American Midland Naturalist 144(2):423-427.