Often mistaken for a pumpkinseed, the longear can be distinguished from its cousin by looking at the pectoral fins and the gill covers. On the pumpkinseed, the pectoral fins are long, pointed, and extend above the lateral line, and the gill-cover margins are stiff and smooth. Life History Longear sunfish spawn in August.
Males construct saucer-shaped nests in shallow water areas with sand or gravel bottoms.
Although solitary nests are occasionally found, nests are generally built close together to form colonies. Male longear sunfish remain with the nest to care for and protect the eggs and young. Snails, leeches, and aquatic insects make up the bulk of this sunfish's diet. The longear sunfish is restricted in range to certain large streams in east-central North America. Its range includes from southern Quebec and Ontario through the eastern United States and west to Oklahoma, Texas and northeastern Mexico.