Disclaimer:

The Nonindigenous Occurrences section of the NAS species profiles has a new structure. The section is now dynamically updated from the NAS database to ensure that it contains the most current and accurate information. Occurrences are summarized in Table 1, alphabetically by state, with years of earliest and most recent observations, and the tally and names of drainages where the species was observed. The table contains hyperlinks to collections tables of specimens based on the states, years, and drainages selected. References to specimens that were not obtained through sighting reports and personal communications are found through the hyperlink in the Table 1 caption or through the individual specimens linked in the collections tables.

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Common name: Pumpkinseed

Taxonomy: available through www.itis.gov

Identification: Moyle (1976); Becker (1983); Page and Burr (1991); Jenkins and Burkhead (1994).

Size: 30 cm.

Native Range: Atlantic Slope drainages from New Brunswick to Edisto River, South Carolina; Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, and upper Mississippi basins from Quebec and New York west to southeastern Manitoba and North Dakota, and south to northern Kentucky and Missouri (Page and Burr 1991).

Alaska	Hawaii	Puerto Rico & Virgin Islands	Guam Saipan

Native range data for this species provided in part by NatureServe

Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUCs) Explained
Interactive maps: Point Distribution Maps

Means of Introduction: Intentional stocking for sportfishing. Trautman (1981) reported this species was originally absent from the southern unglaciated part of Ohio. However, he implies construction of canals gave them access to those areas and, furthermore, millions of Pumpkinseeds were stocked in southern Ohio between 1920 and 1950.

Status: Established in most locations where introduced. Extirpated in Arizona (Minckley 1973). Reported in Kansas, but failed to become established (Cross 1967).

Impact of Introduction: Pumpkinseeds will hybridize with most other Lepomis, especially with bluegill and green sunfish. The result is usually fast-growing, sterile male hybrids (Moyle 1976).

Casal (2006) listed the Pumpkinseed among the top ten introduced fish species with adverse ecological effects. It has been reported to be responsible for the decline of other fish species (Welcomme 1988) as well as gastropods (Osenberg et al. 1992).  Van Kleef et al. (2008) found that macroinvertebrate abundance was 83% lower in areas invaded by Pumpkinseeds in the Netherlands. Kynard (1979) found that decline in abundance of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) was related to an increased abundance of Pumpkinseeds in Wapato Lake, WA.

Remarks: Sigler and Miller (1963), Sigler and Sigler (1987, 1996) make no mention of Pumpkinseeds in Utah. Although Burr (1980) lists this species as probably introduced to the Ohio River in Kentucky, resulting from escapees from commercial fishing lakes and farm ponds, Burr and Warren (1986) believed they were more likely strays from the upper Ohio River. Menhinick (1991) reports Pumpkinseeds as native and introduced in all remaining drainages (other than New and Tennessee) in the state. It is unclear if these introductions are within their native range in those drainages or outside their native range. Cross et al. (1986) also listed the Pumpkinseed as introduced into the Kansas River drainage but did not indicate which state. No records were found for this drainage in Kansas (Lee et al. 1980 et seq.; Cross and Collins 1995) or Nebraska (Lee et al. 1980 et seq.). However, Cross (1967) stated that he believes all previous records of Pumpkinseeds in the Kansas drainage are actually L. megalotis. He gave a discussion of reasons for the misnomer and the perpetuated error. However, he did give one "recent" (circa 1967) record from Johnson County (KU 10274) which may have been in the Kansas drainage. This could be the basis for the Cross et al. (1986) report.

References: (click for full references)

Anonymous 2001. Oregon's Warm Water Fishing with Public Access. [online]. URL at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/ODFwhtml/FishText/WWFishing/WWFishAL.html

Casal, C.M.V.  2006. Global documentation of fish introductions: the growing crisis and recommendations for action. Biol Invasions 8:3–11.

Kynard, B.E. 1979. Population decline and change in frequencies of lateral plates in threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Copeia 1979(4):635-638. http://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/1443870.pdf.

Madison, D. 2003. Outlaw Introductions. Montana Outdoors. July/August: 26-35.

Moyle, P.B. 1976. Inland fishes of California. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.

Osenberg C.W., G.G. Mittelbach, and P.C. Wainwright. 1992. Two-stage life histories in fish: the interaction between juvenile competition and adult performance. Ecology 73:
255–267

Rasmussen, J.L. 1998. Aquatic nuisance species of the Mississippi River basin. 60th Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, Aquatic Nuisance Species Symposium, Dec. 7, 1998, Cincinnati, OH.

van Kleef, H., G. van der Velde, R.S.E. Leuven, and H. Esselink. 2008. Pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus) invasions facilitated by introductions and nature management strongly reduce macroinvertebrate abundance in isolated water bodies. Biological Invasions. 10:1481-1490.

Welcomme, R.L. 1988.  International introductions of inland aquatic species. FAO fisheries technical paper no. 294. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.

Other Resources:
Distribution in Illinois - ILNHS

Author: Fuller, P., and Cannster, M.

Peer Review Date: 4/12/2013

This information is preliminary or provisional and is subject to revision. It is being provided to meet the need for timely best science. The information has not received final approval by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and is provided on the condition that neither the USGS nor the U.S. Government shall be held liable for any damages resulting from the authorized or unauthorized use of the information.