The Bantam Sunfish, Lepomis Symmetricus

Systematics and Distribution, and Life History in Wolf Lake, Illinois

Abstract

The bantam sunfish, described as Bohlke; Garrett S. Glodek; Tomio Lepomis symmetricus by Stephen A. Forbes in 1883, is one of the least known species in the genus, probably because of its small size, rarity over parts of its range, occurrence in rather inaccessible swamp habitats, and drab and nondescript appearance. This effort to remedy the gaps in our knowledge of the species reviews all published references to L. symmetricus. To supplement the meager information available, this report includes an analysis of morphological variation based on the study of museum specimens, an assessment of the species' distribution, and a life-history study based on periodic collections made at a study site in southern Illinois.