Flier (fish)

Taxobox
name = Flier
status = secure


image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Perciformes
familia = Centrarchidae
genus = "Centrarchus"
species = "C. macropterus"
binomial = "Centrarchus macropterus"
binomial_authority = (Lacépède, 1801)

The flier ("Centrarchus macropterus") is a sunfish (family Centrarchidae) native to muddy-bottomed swamps, ponds, weedy lakes, and riverine backwaters across the American South, from southern Illinois east to the Potomac River basin and south to Texas.

The flier, which can live up to five years, grows to a maximum recorded length of about 30 cm (one foot). The maximum recorded weight of the species is just over one-half kilogramme (about 19 oz).

Fliers are occasionally kept in aquaria by North American native-fish fanciers.

"C. macropterus" is currently the only species of genus "Centrarchus" Cuvier, 1829, but Lacépède had originally assigned it to "Labrus" (now confined to some marine wrasses). The generic name, "Centrarchus," derives from the Greek "κέντρον" (centre, in this sense "sting") and "άρχος" (ruler, in this sense "anus"), in reference, presumably, to the sharp spines on the anal fin. "Centrarchus" being the type genus of family Centrarchidae, it gives its name to the whole sunfish family. The specific name, "macropterus," derives from "μακρόν πτερόν" (long fin).

A "Gato-class" submarine, USS "Flier", built in 1943, was named for this species. In addition, the newsletter of the [http://www.nativefish.org Native Fish Conservancy] is entitled "Flier."

ee also

References

* FishBase: [http://www.fishbase.org/Eschmeyer/GeneraSummary.cfm?ID=Centrarchus "Centrarchus"]
** [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Centrarchus&speciesname=macropterus "Centrarchus macropterus"]
* ITIS: [http://www.itis.usda.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=168101 "Centrarchus macropterus"]