Black bass
| Black bass | ||||||||||||
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Black bass |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Micropterus dolomieu | ||||||||||||
| Lacépède , 1802 |
The black bass ( Micropterus dolomieu ) is a large representative of the sunfish (Centrarchidae). It reaches a length of almost 70 centimeters and a maximum weight of 5.4 kilograms. Usually it remains significantly smaller at 30 to 40 centimeters. Black bass feed on fish, crustaceans and insects.
Appearance
Small bass have a body that is relatively elongated, laterally flattened and covered with comb scales for sun bass . The large head is more than 1/4 of the total length. The mouth is large, the lower jaw protrudes. The dorsal fin is divided into two parts, the front, hard-nosed part being lower than the rear. The caudal fin is slightly incised. Young black bass are olive green with light flanks and a white belly. They have short cross bars on the flanks. Older fish become darker, monochrome gray-green or black. The sideline is complete. The pelvic fins are connected to one another by skin.
- Fin formula : dorsal X / 13–15, anal III / 10–12.
- Scale formula : mLR 72–85.
distribution
The home of the black bass is in eastern North America, in the area of the Saint Lawrence River , the Hudson Bay and the Mississippi River . There he lives above rocky ground in lakes and rivers. Small bass were introduced to Europe by humans and are found today in the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, southern Finland and in some lakes in Germany south of the Danube.
Reproduction
During the spawning season from May to June, black bass build a spawning pit in the gravel floor in the shallow water near the shore. This is where the female lays her eggs, about 1 millimeter in size. Depending on the body weight of the fish, it is 1200 to 1600. Both sexes guard the brood until they hatch after 8 to 10 days.
Black bass as frogfish
Because of its ability to bite and its great stamina in the fight, the small bass is a particular challenge for the spin fisherman . Since black bass mostly hunt for prey in shallow water, most anglers use colorful surface wobblers that make as much noise as possible. In the United States, spinning on these fish is considered a kind of popular sport.
literature
- Günther Sterba : The world's freshwater fish. 2nd Edition. Urania, Leipzig / Jena / Berlin 1990, ISBN 3-332-00109-4 .
- Fritz Terofal: Steinbach's natural guide, freshwater fish. Ulmer, Stuttgart 2003, ISBN 3-8001-4296-1 .
Web links
- Black bass on Fishbase.org (English)
- Micropterus dolomieu inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: NatureServe, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2014.