Translations:AY Honors/Fishes/Answer Key/24/en

Black Crappie

Pomoxis nigromaculatus

Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)

Where found: The crappie is native throughout the eastern half of Canada and the United States, and has been widely introduced in the west as well. As of 2005, populations existed in all of the lower 48 states of the United States.

Description: The black crappue is most accurately identified by the seven or eight spines on its dorsal fin.

Diet: Adult crappies feed predominantly on smaller species, including the young of their own predators (which include the northern pike, muskellunge, and walleye). They have diverse diets, however, including zooplankton, insects, and crustaceans

Reproduction: The breeding season varies by location, due to the species’ great range; breeding temperature is 14‒20 °C (58‒68 °F) and spawning occurs between April and June. Spawning occurs in a nest built by the male, who guards the eggs and young.