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💧 Freshwater Least Concern 🍽️ Edible 🌡️ Temperate

Orangespotted sunfish

Lepomis humilis Girard, 1858
Max Length
17.5 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
4 yrs
Trophic Level
3.6
Depth
-
Climate
Temperate
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
26.00/100
Typical Length
7.4 cm
Depth Zone
-

📖 Overview

Inhabits quiet pools of creeks and small to large, often turbid, rivers; usually near brush . Feeds on microcrustaceans and aquatic insect larvae, principally chironomid dipterans .

Scientific Name
Lepomis humilis
Authority
Girard, 1858
Habitat
Freshwater
Climate
Temperate
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
17.5 cm
Lifespan
4 years
Trophic Level
3.6
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
26.00/100
Water Temp
10–28 °C
Salinity
0–0.5 ppt

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

: short and / or deep.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Orangespotted sunfish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Orangespotted sunfish is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Reproduction data for Orangespotted sunfish is currently being compiled.

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Freshwater; benthopelagic. Temperate; 10°C - 28°C ; 48°N - 29°N North America: lower Great Lakes (in southern ends of Lakes Erie and Michigan), Hudson Bay, and Mississippi River basin from Ohio to southern North Dakota, and south to Louisiana in the USA; in Gulf Slope drainages from Mobile Bay in Alabama to Colorado River in Texas in the USA.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
💧 Freshwater
Trophic Level
3.6±0.55
Food Items

microcrustaceans and aquatic insect larvae, principally chironomid dipterans (Ref

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.01047 × L3.1 (TL)
Max TL
17.5cm

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Temperature Range
10–28°C
Salinity Range
0–0.5ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2012

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
High
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
26.00/100
Low vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.6
Predator
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
Climate Zone
Temperate
Described By
Girard, 1858

🍽️ Edibility & Flavour

"Orangespotted sunfish is an edible species."

✗ Not for Raw
✓ Fresh Indicators
  • Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
  • Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
  • Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
  • Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
  • Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
✗ Avoid If
  • Cloudy or sunken eyes
  • Strong fishy or ammonia odour
  • Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
  • Discoloured or dry flesh
Best Cooking Methods
Baking Grilling Pan-frying

Nutrition

Detailed nutritional data for Orangespotted sunfish is currently being compiled from USDA FoodData Central.

🔬 Mercury Safety

Mercury data for Orangespotted sunfish has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.

🌿 Sustainability

Best Choice
Healthy stocks, low impact
Good Alternative
Well-managed, minor concerns
Use Caution
Check sourcing and season
Avoid
Overfished or high impact

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Dwarf Sunfish · orange-spotted sunfish · Orangespot · Orangespotted Sunfish · Pygmy Sunfish
🌍CES slunečnice oranžovoskvrnná
🇩🇰Danish Orangeplettet solaborre
🇵🇱Polish słonecznica niepozorna
🇵🇹Portuguese Perca-sol-pigmeia
🇷🇺Russian Окунь краснопятнистый

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 34 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

Aquareap Community Observations
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