| 1a |
Body shape robust (disklike) |
go to 2 |
| 1b |
Body shape elongate (stretched out) |
go to 14 |
| 2a |
Anal fin has 3 spines |
go to 5 |
| 2b |
Anal fin has more than 3 spines |
go to 3 |
| 3a |
Anal fin has 6 spines |
go to 4 |
| 3b |
Anal fin has 7-8 spines and anal fin is as long as dorsal fin |
Centrachus macropterus (Flier) |
| 4a |
scattered dark blotches and 7-8 dorsal spines |
Poxomis nigromaculatus (Black Crappie) |
| 4b |
dark vertical bars on dorsal side. Dorsal has 6 spines in most specimens |
Poxomis annularis (White Crappie) |
| 5a |
Large supramaxilla, dark brown and yellow stripes going from eyes to gill cover, and eyes are red |
Lepomis gulosus (Warmouth) |
| 5b |
does not have a large supramaxilla |
go to 6 |
| 6a |
No pelvic spine and/or long flexible black opercle flaps |
Lepomis auritus (Redbreast Sunfish) |
| 6b |
Inflexible or white rimmer opercle flaps, 1 or more pelvic spines present |
go to 7 |
| 7a |
Inflexible opercle |
go to 8 |
| 7b |
Flexible opercle |
go to 11 |
| 8a |
Small mouth |
go to 9 |
| 8b |
Large mouth, long gill rakers, pharngeal teeth blunt but conical in shape |
Lepomis cyanellus (Green Sunfish) |
| 9a |
Short pectoral fins do not reach past eye when bent forward |
go to 10 |
| 9b |
Long pointed pectoral fins, short gill rakers, pharyngeal teth molar like |
Lepomis microlophus (Redear Sunfish) |
| 10a |
Complete lateral line, medium sized gill rakers |
Lepomis miniatus (Redspotted Sunfish) |
| 10b |
Incomplete lateral line, long gill rakers |
Lepomis symmetricus (Buntam Sunfish) |
| 11a |
12 pectoral fin rays, wavy lines on cheeks, mouth is small, and short gill rakers present |
Lepomis marginatus (Dollar Sunfish) |
| 11b |
No blue/white wavy lines on cheeks |
go to 12 |
| 12a |
long pointed pectoral fins reach past anterior of eye, fish is up to 16 inches long, and black blotch on posterior end of dorsal fin present |
Lepomis macrochirus (Bluegill) |
| 12b |
less han 16 inches long, no blotch on dorsal fin, or pectoral fins are short |
go to 13 |
| 13a |
Mouth is small, short gill rakers, and pectoral fins are short and rounded |
Lepomis megalotis (Longear Sunfish) |
| 13b |
Mouth is large, gill rakers are moderately long, and teeth are present on palatine bones |
Lepomis humilis (Orange Spotted Sunfish) |
| 14a |
dorsal fins narrowly joined |
Micropterus salmoides (Largemouth Bass) |
| 14b |
dorsal fins broadly joined |
go to 15 |
| 15a |
No tooth patch and small mouth |
Micropterus dolomieu (Smallmouth Bass) |
| 15b |
Has tooth patch |
go to 16 |
| 16a |
Dark blothces present sides, fish is up 15 inches long |
Micropterus puctulatus (Spotted Bass) |
| 16b |
10-12 dark bars on body up to 18.2 inches long |
Micropterus treculii (Guadaloupe Bass) |