Orangespotted Sunfish - Life History

Life History

L. humilis breeds once or twice in the summer months of June and July, like most other sunfish, in colonies in shallow water near shore. Floodplain and backwater areas are known to include important spawning and nursery sites for L. humilis. Its reproductive classification is a lithopelagophil, which means the fish spawn on gravel and the embryos are pelagic. Orangespotted sunfish nesting areas are often geographically close by other species’ areas and easily become crowded, which can increase the incidence of hybridization with other Lepomids. Other fish species, such as Topeka shiners, are said to be ‘nest associates’ of orangespotted and other sunfishes, meaning they establish spawning territories on the periphery of sunfish nests. This is due to the fact that nesting sunfish have been known to expose suitable spawning sites for other species, like the Notropis topeka, by fanning the spot with their caudal fin to aerate the eggs. Some sunfish species make courtship sounds to attract females. For instance, when nesting orangespotted sunfish males see a female, they make grunting sounds while rushing back and forth between the female and the nest repeatedly to try to win her. The amplitude and frequency of the courtship sounds of L. humilis are distinct to the species and can be differentiated by female listeners from the sounds of other sunfish species if they do not occur simultaneously. Lepomis humilis have a maximum age between 4 and 7 years. The orangespotted sunfish has an average length of 3 cm, and can reach a maximum recorded length of about 15 cm.