Spotted Bass
Micropterus punctulatus
- Least concern
- Card rarity: Common
- Fish
The spotted bass, also called spotty, or spots in various fishing communities, is a species of North American freshwater fish belonging to the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of the order Centrarchiformes. It is noted for the rows of dark spots below the lateral line, which give it its common name. One of the black basses, it is native to the Mississippi River basin and across the Gulf states, from central Texas through the Florida panhandle. Its native range extends into the western Mid-Atlantic states and it has been introduced into western North Carolina and Virginia. It has also been introduced to southern Africa, where it has become established in some isolated waters as an invasive species.
Classification
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Centrarchiformes
- Family
- Centrarchidae
- Genus
- Micropterus