Largemouth Bass
| Class: Fishes: 4
classes |
Diet: Crustaceans,
fish, frogs, aquatic invertebrates |
| Order:
Perciformes: Perch-like fishes |
| Size: 25.5
- 46 cm (10 - 18 in) |
| Family: No Fish family
information |
Conservation Status:
Non-threatened |
| Scientific Name:
Micropterus salmoides |
Habitat: shallow
lakes, ponds, rivers |
| Range:
Southeastern Canada; USA: Great Lakes area, south to Gulf of Mexico; introduced
in other areas of USA and in Europe and Africa |
 A
member of the sunfish family, the largemouth bass is usually greenish and
silvery in coloration, with a dark band along each side; its dorsal fin
is divided almost in two by a notch. A predatory fish, it feeds on crustaceans
and other invertebrates when young, gradually progressing to fish, frogs
and larger invertebrates when mature. Spawning takes place in spring
or early summer, depending on temperature and latitude. The male excavates
a nest in sand or gravel in shallow water and attracts a female to his
nest to lay her eggs, usually a few hundred. The male fertilizes the eggs
and may then attract more females to his nest. The sticky-surfaced eggs
attach themselves to the bottom of the nest and are guarded by the male
until they hatch, 7 to 10 days after laying.
  
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