Editing Micropterus

{{Short description|Genus of fishes}}
{{Redirect|Black bass||The Black Bass (disambiguation)}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| fossil_range = {{fossil range|16|0|[[Middle Miocene]] to present}}
| image = Micropterus dolomieu2.jpg
| image_caption = [[Smallmouth bass]], ''Micropterus dolomieu''
| taxon = Micropterus
| authority = [[Bernard Germain Étienne de la Ville, Comte de Lacépède|Lacepede]], 1802<ref>{{cite book |author1=Citizen La Cepède |author-link1=Bernard Germain de Lacépède |title=Histoire naturelle des poissons, tome IV |date=1802 |publisher=Chez Saugrain |location=Paris |page=324 |language=fr}} [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/6705733#page/386/mode/1up]</ref>
| type_species = ''Micropterus dolomieu''
| type_species_authority = Lacepède, 1802<ref name = CofFG>{{Cof record | genid=503 | title = ''Micropterus'' | access-date = 21 May 2020}}</ref>
| synonyms = *''Aplesion'' <small>Rafinesque, 1820</small>
*''Aplites'' <small>Rafinesque, 1820</small>
*''Calliurus'' <small>Rafinesque, 1819</small>
*''Dioplites'' <small>Rafinesque, 1820</small>
*''Gristes'' <small>[[Georges Cuvier|Cuvier]], 1829</small>
*''Huro'' <small>Cuvier, 1828</small>
*''Nemocampsis'' <small>Rafinesque,.] 1820</small>
| synonyms_ref = <ref name = CofFF>{{Cof family | family = Centrarchidae | access-date = 21 May 2020}}</ref>
}}

'''''Micropterus''''' is a [[genus]] of [[North America]]n [[freshwater fish]] collectively known as the '''black bass''', which belong to the sunfish [[family (biology)|family]] [[Centrarchidae]] of [[order (biology)|order]] [[Centrarchiformes]].  They are sometimes erroneously called "black trout", but the name [[trout]] more correctly refers to certain [[potamodromous]] members of the family [[Salmonidae]] (order [[Salmoniformes]]).

''Micropterus'' are widely distributed east of the [[Rocky Mountains]], from the [[Hudson Bay]] basin in [[Canada]] to northeastern [[Mexico]]. Several species, notably the [[largemouth bass|largemouth]] and [[smallmouth bass]], have been very widely [[introduced species|introduced]] throughout the world, and are now considered [[cosmopolitan (species)|cosmopolitan]]. All black bass species are highly sought-after [[game fish]] and well known as strong fighters when [[angling|hooked]], and [[bass fishing]] is an extremely popular [[outdoor sport]] throughout their native range.<ref>{{cite web |title=American Bass Fish Species Guide |url=https://badangling.com/american-bass-species-guide/ |website=BadAngling.com |date=30 October 2022 |access-date=8 November 2022}}</ref>  Their meat is quite edible and firm, although they are not regarded as commercial [[food fish]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2007}}

All black bass species have a dull-green base coloring with dark patterns on the sides.  Most reach a maximum overall length of {{cvt|40|-|60|cm}}, but some strains of the [[largemouth bass]] have been reported to grow to almost {{convert|1|m}} in length.<ref>Rohde, F.C., Arndt, R.G., Lindquist, D.G. & Parnell, J.F. (1996): ''Freshwater Fishes of the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware.'' Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1994.</ref>  In [[spawn (biology)|spawning]] seasons, the male builds a "nest" (spawning ground) in the [[river bed|bed]] where a female is induced to deposit her [[fish egg|egg]]s, then the male [[external fertilization|externally fertilize]]s them. The male continues to guard the eggs and fry until they disperse from the nest.

Various black bass species have been introduced into freshwater bodies outside North America, where they become [[invasive species|invasive]] in many instances. In [[Japan]], they have been declared [[nuisance animal|nuisance fish]] and are subjected to numerous attempts at eradicating them from local ecosystems.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200707060125.html | date=6 July 2007| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929134201/http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200707060125.html | archive-date=29 September 2007| title=Locals in for long haul in battle against non-native fish| newspaper=Asahi Shimbun| access-date=12 June 2014}}</ref>

==Species==
Currently, 14 recognized species are placed in this genus:<ref>{{Cite web |title=CAS - Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes |url=https://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=researcharchive.calacademy.org |language=en}}</ref>

* ''[[Micropterus cahabae]]'' <small>[[Winston H. Baker|W. H. Baker]], [[Rebecca E. Blanton Johansen|Blanton]] & [[Carol E. Johnston|C. E. Johnston]], 2013</small> (Cahaba bass) <ref name=Baker2013>Baker, W.H., Blanton, R.E. & Johnston, C.E. (2013): Diversity within the Redeye Bass, ''Micropterus coosae'' (Perciformes: Centrarchidae) species group, with descriptions of four new species.  ''Zootaxa, 3635 (4): 379–401.''</ref>
* ''[[shoal bass|Micropterus cataractae]]'' <small>[[James David Williams|J. D. Williams]] & [[George H. Burgess|G. H. Burgess]], 1999</small> (shoal bass)
* ''[[Micropterus chattahoochae]]'' <small>W. H. Baker, Blanton & C. E. Johnston, 2013</small> (Chattahoochee bass) <ref name=Baker2013/>
* ''[[redeye bass|Micropterus coosae]]'' <small>[[Carl Leavitt Hubbs|C. L. Hubbs]] & [[Reeve Maclaren Bailey|R. M. Bailey]], 1940</small> (redeye bass)
* ''[[smallmouth bass|Micropterus dolomieu]]'' <small>[[Bernard Germain de Lacépède|Lacépède]], 1802</small> (smallmouth bass) <span style="{{MirrorH}}">[[File:Smallmouth bass.png|70 px]]</span>
* ''[[Alabama bass|Micropterus henshalli]]'' <small>C. L. Hubbs & R. M. Bailey, 1940</small> (Alabama bass)
* ''[[Suwannee bass|Micropterus notius]]'' <small>R. M. Bailey & C. L. Hubbs, 1949</small> (Suwannee bass) [[File:Micropterus notius (white background).jpg|70 px]]
* ''[[spotted bass|Micropterus punctulatus]]'' <small>[[Constantine Samuel Rafinesque|Rafinesque]], 1819</small> (spotted bass)
* ''[[largemouth bass|Micropterus nigricans]]'' <small>(</small><small>[[Georges Cuvier|Cuvier]], 1828)</small> (largemouth bass) [[File:Largemouth bass - DPLA - (white background).jpg|70 px]]
* ''[[Florida bass|Micropterus salmoides]]'' <small>([[Bernard Germain de Lacépède|Lacépède]], 1802)</small> (Florida bass)
* ''[[Tallapoosa bass|Micropterus tallapoosae]]'' <small>W. H. Baker, Blanton & C. E. Johnston, 2013</small> (Tallapoosa bass) <ref name=Baker2013/>
* ''[[Guadalupe bass|Micropterus treculii]]'' <small>([[Leon Louis Vaillant|Vaillant]] & [[Marie Firmin Bocourt|Bocourt]], 1874)</small> (Guadalupe bass)
* ''[[Micropterus velox]]'' <small>Hubbs & Bailey, 1940</small> (Neosho bass)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Southern smallies |url=https://www.hatchmag.com/articles/southern-smallies/7715632 |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Hatch Magazine - Fly Fishing, etc. |language=en}}</ref>
* ''[[Micropterus warriorensis]]'' <small>W. H. Baker, Blanton & C. E. Johnston, 2013</small> (warrior bass) <ref name=Baker2013/>

A 15th species, the [[Choctaw bass]] ''Micropterus haiaka'',  has been proposed,<ref name = TBSK>{{cite journal | author1 = Tringali, M.D. | author2 = Barthel, B. | author3 = Seyoum, S. | author4 = Knight, J. | name-list-style = amp  | year = 2013 | url = https://afs.confex.com/afs/2013/webprogram/Paper12291.html | title = Molecular and Morphological Evidence for a Novel Black bass Species Native to Rivers of the East Gulf Coastal Plain]  | website = Proceedings of the Symposium Black Bass Diversity: Multidisciplinary Science for Conservation, Nashville, American Fisheries Society 143rd Annual Meeting | access-date = 21 May 2020}}</ref> but this does not yet appear to have been widely accepted.<ref name="Fishbase">{{FishBase genus|genus=Micropterus|month=December|year=2019}}</ref> A further two species, the Altamaha bass and Bartram's bass, are as yet undescribed and have been included under the redeye bass.<ref name = "Kim2022"/>

A genomic analysis in 2022 described new species and found that the [[Binomial nomenclature|binomial]]s, ''M. salmoides'' and ''M. floridanus'' as used above are misapplied to the largemouth bass and the Florida bass, this study found that ''M. salmoides'' is the valid binomial for the Florida bass, while ''M. floridanus'', is its [[junior synonym]]. They also found that the oldest available binomial for the largemouth bass is ''M. nigricans''.<ref name = "Kim2022">{{cite journal | author1 = Daemin Kim | author2 =Andrew T. Taylor | author3 = Thomas J. Near | name-list-style = & | year = 2022 | title = Phylogenomics and species delimitation of the economically important Black Basses (Micropterus) | journal = Scientific Reports | volume = 12 | issue =1 | pages = 9113 |pmid = 35668124 | pmc = 9170712 | doi = 10.1038/s41598-022-11743-2| bibcode =2022NatSR..12.9113K }}</ref>

A single [[fossil]] species, †''[[Micropterus relictus]]'' <small>Smith, Cavender & Miller, 1975</small> is known from the [[Late Pliocene]] or [[Early Pleistocene]] of [[Jalisco, Mexico]], when it presumably inhabited the [[Lake Chapala]] basin. This is the southernmost species known to have existed, as ''Micropterus'' basses are no longer native to the region. Several indeterminate fossil ''Micropterus'' are known from the [[Miocene]] of Nebraska and Oklahoma, US, with the oldest dating to the [[Middle Miocene]] (16-15 mya).<ref name=":9">{{Cite book |title=Centrarchid Fishes |date=2009 |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781444316032 |language=en |doi=10.1002/9781444316032 |isbn=978-1-4051-3342-5 |editor-last1=Cooke |editor-last2=Philipp |editor-first1=S. J. |editor-first2=D. P. }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Bass fishing]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:Micropterus| ]]
[[Category:Lepominae]]
[[Category:Ray-finned fish genera]]
[[Category:Freshwater fish genera]]
[[Category:Symbols of Mississippi]]
[[Category:Freshwater fish of North America|*]]
[[Category:Extant Miocene first appearances]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Bernard Germain de Lacépède]]