Title: freshwater
Species #: 64
Common Name: Pumpkinseed Scientific Name: Lepomis gibbosus Class: Actinopterygii Family: Centrarchidae
Order: Perciformes Genus: Lepomis
Species: L. gibbosus
Geography / Habitat: Pumpkinseeds prefer shallow water with some weed cover. They are often typical of ponds and small lakes. Life Strategy: Males prepare nests in colonies on gravel bottoms in late spring. The males are territorial and chase even early-arriving females away. When a female reaches a nest, she is joined by the male, and eggs are deposited. The eggs settle and stick to the pebbles. The female departs as soon as the eggs have been deposited. Food / Feed Strategy: They eat a variety of insects, including mosquito larvae, along with small mollusks and crustaceans. They also feed on smaller fish, including smaller pumpkinseeds.