New records of Spotted Bass, Micropterus punctulatus, within the Mississippi River Basin, Illinois

Spotted Bass Micropterus punctulatus, like many sport fishes, have experienced range expansion through intentional introductions (i.e., legal stocking and illegal transfers) and migration across the United States. In Illinois, USA, native populations of Spotted Bass occur along the eastern and southern border of the state. We report new records of Spotted Bass in their non-native range of the Illinois Waterway and the Illinois portion of the Upper Mississippi River in addition to collections in their native range in the Illinois sections of the Ohio and Wabash rivers to better understand their current distribution. Continuous, collaborative efforts to track the distribution and expansion of non-native fishes are important for maintaining and establishing native and non-native fisheries management objectives and education, as non-native fishes can influence native species population distribution and dynamics.

Automated summary

Spotted Bass have expanded their range through intentional introductions and migration across the United States. New records of Spotted Bass in their non-native range in the Illinois Waterway and Upper Mississippi River, as well as their native range in the Ohio and Wabash rivers in Illinois, were reported to better understand their distribution. Continuous efforts to track non-native fish distribution are important for fisheries management and education.