Is the dark line on the fish's side internal or external ?


Lepomis cyanellus - Green Sunfish Morphology
Description: The Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) is a member of the family Centrarchidae, or sunfishes. The body is elongated and compressed. It can grow up to ten inches in length. The caudal fin is homocercal (as in all sunfishes) and forked. There is only a slight notch between the spinous and soft portions of the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin has nine to eleven spines and eleven soft rays. The anal fin base is shorter than the base of the dorsal fin. There are three spines and thirteen or fourteen rays on the anal fin. Pelvic fins are present, adipose fin is absent. The pectoral fin is short and rounded. The upper jaw is longer than the lower jaw, and extends to around the middle of the eye, which is large. The coloration of the fish varies between breeding and non-breeding individuals. When not breeding, the fish is often pale to dark green, sometimes with darker vertical bars on the sides. There are distinct blue or green markings on the sides of the head, and there is often a black spot near the base of the dorsal and anal fins. When breeding, male Green Sunfishes gain dark coloring in the fins.





Last edited by ewest; 05/30/08 04:17 PM.