*Bluegill* - Blender 3d - Did You Know?
The bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), sometimes referred to as "bream", "brim", "sunny", or, in Texas, "copper nose",[3] is a species of North American freshwater fish, native to and commonly found in streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and wetlands east of the Rocky Mountains. It is the type species of the genus Lepomis (true sunfish), from the family Centrarchidae (sunfishes, crappies and black basses) in the order Centrarchiformes.
Bluegills can grow up to 16 in (41 cm) long and about 4+1â2 lb (2.0 kg). While their color can vary from population to population, they typically have a very distinctive coloring, with deep blue and purple on the face and gill cover, dark olive-colored bands down the side, and a fiery orange to yellow belly. They are omnivorous and will consume anything they can fit in their mouth, but mostly feed on small aquatic insects and baitfishes. The fish are important prey for bass, other larger sunfish, northernpike and muskellunge, walleye, trout, herons, kingfishers, snapping turtles and otters, and play a key role within the food chain of its freshwater ecosystem.
The bluegill is noted for the large black appendage (the "ear") on each side of the posterior edge of the gill covers as well as the base of the dorsal fin. The sides of its head and chin are commonly a dark shade of blue, hence the name "bluegill". The precise coloration will vary due to the presence of neurally controlled chromatophores under the skin.[4] The fish usually displays 5â9 vertical bars on the sides of its body immediately after being caught as part of its threat display.[5] It typically has a yellowish breast and abdomen, with the breast of the breeding male being a bright orange.
Hydrodynamically, the bluegill exhibits specific flow patterns that accompany its C-start escape response.[29] The caudal (tail) fin is a main source of momentum in typical kinematic models of the C-start escape response but the bluegill draws a majority of its momentum from the body bending associated with the response, as well as its dorsal and anal fins.[29] The fins' roles as propulsors during escape response suggest that the size of the fins could lead to an evolutionary advantage when escaping predators.[29]
Bluegill - Wikipedia
