Page 29 - Outdoor Oklahoma Magazine Mar-Apr2023

ONE FISH, TWO FISH,

Driven by environmental and chemical trig- known species like largemouth, smallmouth,
gers we don’t completely understand, many and spotted bass, as well as black and white
Oklahoma fish species invest a tremendous crappie and an additional 11 species that most
amount of work and metabolic energy into repro- Oklahomans collectively but incorrectly label as
duction each spring and summer. perch. Although they can be found in our large
Some follow rising floodwaters and broadcast lakes and rivers, longears are first and foremost NUCHAL
huge numbers of eggs over newly flooded veg- creek fish. No matter where you live in Oklahoma HUMP
etation. Others, like flathead catfish, leave their (except the Panhandle), there’s probably one
deep-water haunts for the shallows and excavate swimming within a few minutes of your house.
nest cavities under rocks and logs. Still others, Even in urban areas, longears are abundant in
like white bass and paddlefish, swim great dis- almost any small creek or ditch with clean,
tances upstream to lay their eggs. permanent water.
But perhaps no other Oklahoma fish invests Mature longears are sexually dimor-
more time, work, and energy into reproduction phic, meaning that males and females
than the longear sunfish. Each year, they devote look different. This contrasts with
weeks — even months — of round-the-clock many kinds of fish, such as large-
effort into building nests, guarding territory, and mouth bass that can be difficult to
caring for their young. The myriad fatherly duties differentiate. With longears, it’s
constantly performed by the males make them the easy to see some obvious dif-
Energizer Bunnies of the fish world, and a colony ferences between the sexes.
of nesting longears is a dizzying display of color, The length of the operculur
motion, and energy. It all follows a precise set flap (gill flap) is one exam-
of rules innately known by the longears, but hid- ple, with males developing
den from our understanding. They are arguably longer and more pronounced
Oklahoma’s most beautiful and hardworking fish. flaps than females.
Longear sunfish are among the most common Another good example is size.
and widespread, yet unique and interesting, of For many fish species, females are larg-
Oklahoma’s 175 or so species of fish. Their spe- er than males. But with longears the oppo-
cies name megalotis is derived from their prom- site is true. Although males rarely exceed 6 inches
inent gill flaps. Breeding colors are striking, long, they are noticeably larger than females. The
especially for males, which can make for an abso- development of a nuchal hump, an enlarged area OPERCULUR
lutely stunning sight. of fat, soft tissue, and fluid best described as a FLAP
Longears belong to the sunfish family, a fair- swollen forehead, is another example and is most
ly large and popular group that includes well- prominent in the oldest and largest males.

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