Northern sunfish

The northern sunfish (Lepomis peltastes) is a freshwater fish in the centrachid family. It is endemic to the northern United States and southern Canada. Lepomis peltastes was previously recognized as a subspecies of longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis), but is now widely considered a distinct species.

Distribution

Northern sunfish inhabit the northernmost portions of North America, such as the Saint Lawrence River and Great Lakes basins, as well as Hudson Bay, the upper Mississippi River, and portions of Ontario, Canada. Populations tend to be scattered within these areas. This fish is generally found in small, quiet, temperate streams or rivers. This species prefers vegetation and back bays where they can avoid strong currents. The northern sunfish is also found in the littoral zone of clear lakes.

The simplest way to determine whether a longear sunfish is L. peltastes or L. megalotis is by range, although there is substantial overlap and introgression between these two species.

Behaviour

Much like longear sunfish, northern sunfish are omnivorous. They feed on aquatic and terrestrial insects, as well as other invertebrates such as mollusks and crustaceans. Stomach contents analyzed in Minnesota contained Gammarus spp., Trichoptera larvae, and Chironomidae larvae.