Warmouth
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The warmouth (Lepomis gulosus) is a freshwater fish of the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) that is found throughout the eastern United States. Other local names include molly, redeye, goggle-eye, red-eyed bream, and strawberry perch.
Description
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Adult warmouth appear dusky, with a mottled brown, somewhat purplish coloration.<ref name=tpandwdesc>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=scdnrdesc>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The ventral surfaces are yellow,<ref name=tpandwdesc/> and the breeding male has a bright-orange spot at the base of the dorsal fin.<ref name=scdnrdesc/> Three to five reddish-brown streaks extend from the eyes,<ref name=tpandwdesc/> whose irises are reddish, a feature most pronounced in breeding males,<ref name=hassanwilliams2013>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with a red dot present on the otherwise black opercular flaps, outlined in yellow.<ref name=nemesisdesc>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It most commonly has three spines in the anal fin and 6 to 13 spines in the dorsal fin,<ref name=hassanwilliams2013/> with small teeth present on the tongue and palatine bones.<ref name=godard2015>Template:Cite journal</ref> These fish are typically Template:Convert long, but can grow to over Template:Convert in length, and reach Template:Convert.<ref name=tpandwdesc/> The warmouth is occasionally confused with the rock bass (Ambloplites rupestris) or green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus), both of which share its relatively large mouth and heavy body. However, the green sunfish generally has a greenish-blue vermiculate pattern on its cheeks,<ref name=outdooralabamagsdesc>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> a black spot near the base of the dorsal and anal fins,<ref name=nemesisdesc/> fins that are bordered in yellowish-white<ref name=outdooralabamagsdesc/> and no teeth on the tongue.<ref name=hassanwilliams2013/><ref name=outdooralabamagsdesc/> The rock bass has five or six spines in its anal fin as opposed to the three in the warmouth.<ref name=hassanwilliams2013/>
Distribution
Warmouth are found throughout much of the south in the Mississippi River drainage, from the Gulf and Atlantic coasts and northward to the Chesapeake Bay, and westward throughout Texas to the Rio Grande, and northward into the Great Lakes Basin area.<ref name="ref1">Larimore, Kenneth D. 1957. Ecological Life History of the Warmouth Centrarchidae. Illinois Natural History Survey, Bulletin 27(1):1-83 </ref><ref name="ref2">Warren, L. W., Jr., B. M. Burr, S. J. Walsh, H. L. Bart, Jr., R. C. Cashner, D. A. Etnier, B. J. Freeman, B. R. Kuhajda, R. L. Mayden, H. W. Robison, S. T. Ross, and W. C. Starnes. 2000. Diversity, Distribution, and Conservation status of the native freshwater fishes of the southern United States. Fisheries 25(10):7-29. </ref> The warmouth is a highly aggressive and hardy fish, and they can live in ponds, lakes, rivers, and backwater streams and can often survive in streams with low oxygen levels where other species of sunfish cannot. The species exists with breeding populations in southern portions of Canada, and likely has existed there for many years prior to being detected.<ref name="ref4">Crossman, EJ; Simpson, RC. 1984. Warmouth, Lepomis-gulosus, a fresh-water fish new to Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist. 98 (4): 496–498</ref>
Ecology
The primary diet of the warmouth consists of insects, crayfish, and other fish.<ref name="ref1"/> They are sight feeders, and can survive in polluted, low-oxygenated waters where other sunfish cannot, like rock bass. The largest factor affecting warmouth density and biomass in Florida's lakes is the availability of aquatic macrophytes, which allows the fish to ambush prey and use as areas to spawn.<ref name="ref5">Willis, D.J.; D.L. Watson; M.V. Hoyer; D.E. Canfield. 2009. Factors related to Warmouth Lepomis gulosus biomass and density in Florida lakes. Florida Scientist 72:3:218-226</ref> The primary diet of young warmouth is microcrustaceans and aquatic insect larvae, whereas larger specimens tend to mainly consume crayfish, freshwater shrimp, isopods,<ref name=godard2015/> and other small fish.<ref name="ref6">Etnier, D. A., and W. C. Starnes. 1993. The fishes of Tennessee. University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, TN. </ref><ref name="ref7">Tumlison, Renn; Carroll, Christian; Greenwood, Matt. 2007. Summer food habits of young grass pickerel Esox amercanious, warmouth Lepomis gulosus, and log perch Percino caprodes from a cove in Lake Ouachita, Garland County, Arkansas. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science 61:134-136</ref> Their predators include larger fish, snakes, turtles, alligators, and birds. The primary habitats the warmouth occupies are areas with ample vegetation as cover with slower-moving water, often around stumps, brush piles, and other dense entanglements that allow the warmouth the ability to ambush prey, yet escape larger predators that may threaten them.<ref name="ref1"/>
Life history
Spawning for the warmouth begins usually begins when water temperatures reach Template:Convert.<ref name="ref8">Ross, S. T. 2001. The Inland Fishes of Mississippi. University Press of Mississippi, Jackson. 624 pp.</ref> Their spawning often begins in May and lasts until July. Nests are primarily constructed on rock or gravel substrates, usually located in or near to some type of structure in the water column. Unlike most other Lepomis species, the warmouth does not nest in a colony unless ideal nesting habitat is limited. When in breeding condition, the males' eyes turn red. After the female lays her eggs, the male fertilizes the eggs and aggressively defends the nest, eggs and fry from any intruder-including other females. Males are most commonly found defending the nest for up to five days later until the fry have hatched.<ref name="ref1"/> Young warmouth spend most of their time hiding under benthic substrate available to avoid predators. Most are considered sexually mature after one year, but often the size of a fish indicates its maturity rather than time.<ref name="ref1"/> Males usually grow faster than females. Different habitat conditions also reflect the lifespan of the warmouth, which varies from three to eight years.<ref name="ref9">Gatz, A.J., Jr.; S.M. Adams. 1994. Patterns of movements of centrachids in two warm-water streams in eastern Tennessee. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 3:1:35-48</ref>
The warmouth is an extremely adaptable species that can survive in many different conditions, in many river systems east of the Rocky Mountains. Often, the warmouth prefers habitats where there is slower-moving water. The most common cause of concern for the warmouth is hybridization with other Lepomis spp. that often inhabit the same areas as the warmouth. The species known to hybridize with it are the green sunfish (L. cyanellus) and the bluegill (L. macrochirus), as well as the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and the black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus).<ref name="ref10">Merriner, J.V. 1971. Egg size as a factor in intergeneric hybrid success of centrarchids. Trans. Amer. Fish Soc. 100(1):29-32.</ref><ref name="ref11">Lee, D. S. 1980. Lepomis gulosus (Cuvier),Warmouth. pp. 595 in D. S. Lee, et al. Atlas of North American Freshwater Fishes. N. C. State Mus. Nat. Hist., Raleigh, i-r+854 pp</ref> This does not seem to affect the overall health or longevity of the species.
Since warmouths are not migratory fish, their populations should be relatively easily monitored throughout much of their existing ranges. According to Warren,<ref name="ref2"/> there is no threat or current concern for the warmouth.
IGFA records
The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) all tackle world record for the species stands at Template:Convert caught in Holt, Florida, in 1985.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
References
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/war/