Spotted Bass
Micropterus punctulatus
Is similar in appearance to the largemouth bass. Has green to olive-green hue; white, mottled belly; and a broad stripe of broken blotches, usually diamond-shaped, along the midline of the body. Unlike the largemouth, the spotted bass has scales on the base portion of the second dorsal fin; its first and second dorsal fin are clearly connected, and its upper jaw does not extend past the eye. Above the lateral line there are dark markings, and below the lateral line the scales have dark bases that give rise to the linear rows of small spots which are responsible for the common name.
Spotted
bass are distributed throughout the Ohio River basin as well as the
central and lower Mississippi River basin. The species may be found in
Gulf Coast states from Texas east to Florida.
Sources:
http://myfwc.com/WILDLIFEHABITATS/Freshwaterfish_SpottedBass.htm and
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/spb/
