Micropterus nigricans (Cuvier, 1828)

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 827

Micropterus nigricans

Common name. Largemouth bass.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from Lepomis gibbosus by: ● 55–68 lateral-line scales on body / ● one prominent lateral stripe or series of closely set blotches / ● mouth large, upper jaw length greater than eye diameter. Size up to 650 mm SL.

Distribution. Introduced and established in Cyprus. Native to North America, Great Lakes, St. Lawrence and Mississippi drainages, Gulf of Mexico, and southern Atlantic basins. Introduced to Europe in 1883 and widespread especially in Mediterranean basin.

Habitat. Slow-flowing to still waters such as large rivers, lakes, canals, and backwaters. Avoids fast-flowing waters. In estuaries with salinity up to 13 ‰.

Biology. Biology very well studied in North America, understudied in Europe and West Asia. Lives up to 16 years. First spawns at 1–4 years. Spawns April–June when

temperatures reach 16–18°C. Male fan and defend nests, which are shallow depressions in sand or gravel bottoms. Male or both sexes guard nests and free-swimming larvae for a few days. Juveniles feed on invertebrates, taking more fish as they grow older. Adults piscivorous.

Conservation status. Non-native; introduced for recreational fisheries. Responsible for decline of several endemic fish species in Spain.

Remarks. The diversity of Micropterus in North America has been significantly underestimated, with 19 species currently recognised, 14 of which have been described. A review of diversity of Micropterus revealed that the largemouth bass introduced to North Africa, Europe, and Cyprus was not identified as M. salmoides but as M. nigricans , a species previously treated as a synonym.

Further reading. Jenkins & Burkhead 1993 (biology); Boschung & Mayden 2004 (biology); Kim et al. 2022 ( Micropterus diversity).