What is the defining body pattern displayed across the sides of the White Crappie?
Answer
5 to 10 dark, regularly arranged vertical bars
The crucial visual marker for identifying the white crappie is its distinct side pattern, which consists of between five and ten dark, vertical bars that run along its flanks in a regular alignment. This regular barring pattern is the feature that inspired its species name, *annularis*, meaning 'having rings' in Latin. This sharply contrasts with the black crappie, whose markings manifest as randomly scattered speckles and blotches rather than organized vertical stripes.
Related Questions
How many dorsal fin spines does the White Crappie (P. annularis) characteristically possess?What is the defining body pattern displayed across the sides of the White Crappie?What characteristic does the Latin name 'annularis' reference in P. annularis?How is the lateral compression of the White Crappie’s deep-bodied profile often described?Compared to the black crappie, what is the White Crappie’s general habitat preference regarding water clarity?What term describes the arrangement of small, conical teeth found in two rows inside the White Crappie’s mouth?What unique anatomical feature aids the White Crappie’s visual acuity, especially in low light?What was the recorded weight of the world record White Crappie caught in Mississippi in 1957?What temporary physical change do male White Crappie undergo during the spring spawning period?To which specific family does the White Crappie, *Pomoxis annularis*, belong?