Centrarchus
1 species
The flier (Centrarchus macropterus) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a sunfish from the family Centrarchidae which is endemic to the southern United States of America. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Centrarchus. A Second World War United States Navy submarine was named the USS Flier after this fish.
The flier is found in the southern part of the United States along the Atlantic seaboard from the Potomac River drainage in Maryland, where it was most likely introduced to central Florida. It is then found along the Gulf of Mexico drainages as far west as the Trinity River, Texas, and then north in Mississippi River system to above the fall line in southern Illinois and southern Indiana.
The flier is found in clear, acidic waters including ponds in swamps, sloughs, oxbows, slow-flowing creeks and steams. These habitats should be heavily vegetated and have an average water temperature of 23 to 29 °C (73 to 84 °F). They feed largely on invertebrates including insects, snails, worms and leeches although they will also eat smaller fishes and some phytoplankton. Breeding normally occurs March to May when the water temperature reaches 14–17 °C (57–63 °F) but it has been recorded as early as February. The gravid females have been collected from a variety of habitat including debris filled ditches with soft bottoms as well as gravel bottomed streams and heavily vegetated sand and gravel pits. They will spawn in a variety of water conditions ranging from free-flowing clear or turbid water through stagnant water in ditches and pools. Fliers create nests in rocks or gravel and surround their eggs with a round adhesive egg envelope. They are colonial nesters, nesting in aggregations with the nests quite closely spaced. Sexual maturity is attained at one year old and when they are 70 millimeters (2.8 in) long. The male parent guards the eggs and newly hatched fry. If they are frightened or alarmed, these fish will look for shelter among aquatic vegetation, submerged tree roots or mats of floating vegetation.
The flier (Centrarchus macropterus) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a sunfish from the family Centrarchidae which is endemic to the southern United States of America. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Centrarchus. A Second World War United States Navy submarine was named the USS Flier after this fish.
The flier is found in the southern part of the United States along the Atlantic seaboard from the Potomac River drainage in Maryland, where it was most likely introduced to central Florida. It is then found along the Gulf of Mexico drainages as far west as the Trinity River, Texas, and then north in Mississippi River system to above the fall line in southern Illinois and southern Indiana.
The flier is found in clear, acidic waters including ponds in swamps, sloughs, oxbows, slow-flowing creeks and steams. These habitats should be heavily vegetated and have an average water temperature of 23 to 29 °C (73 to 84 °F). They feed largely on invertebrates including insects, snails, worms and leeches although they will also eat smaller fishes and some phytoplankton. Breeding normally occurs March to May when the water temperature reaches 14–17 °C (57–63 °F) but it has been recorded as early as February. The gravid females have been collected from a variety of habitat including debris filled ditches with soft bottoms as well as gravel bottomed streams and heavily vegetated sand and gravel pits. They will spawn in a variety of water conditions ranging from free-flowing clear or turbid water through stagnant water in ditches and pools. Fliers create nests in rocks or gravel and surround their eggs with a round adhesive egg envelope. They are colonial nesters, nesting in aggregations with the nests quite closely spaced. Sexual maturity is attained at one year old and when they are 70 millimeters (2.8 in) long. The male parent guards the eggs and newly hatched fry. If they are frightened or alarmed, these fish will look for shelter among aquatic vegetation, submerged tree roots or mats of floating vegetation.
