Banded pygmy sunfish (Elassoma zonatum) is found in the coastal plain from the Carolinas south to Central Florida and then west to eastern Texas. This is found further north to Illinois in the Mississippi River. This tiny dark colored fish of less than 1.5 inches shows two spots near the base of the dorsal fin. The tail fin is rouded in outline.

Pflieger in his book on Missouri fishes shows dark vertical bars along the side with dark markings in the pale areas. He shows a shallow bodied fish that might remind one of a perch or small mouth bass. In Missouri this fish is found only in the lowlands of south eastern Missouri.

Pygmy sunfish (genus Elassoma) are a group of tiny fish related to the true sunfish and bass. These can be placed with them in the Centrarchidae or placed into their own family, the Elassomatidae. There are about 6 species known to occur in the southern United States. It appears none of the species exceed two inches in length, and most rarely reach over 1.5 inches.

Sunfish and Bass group, Family Centrarchidae, is a group of fish that naturally inhabited North America. Because of their great popularity as a sport fish group, many of the species have been introduced worldwide with varying degrees of success. There are about 30 species in this family. The crappies, bluegill, and black bass belong here.

Perch-like Fish, Order Perciformes, are the largest order of fish in both freshwater and shallow saltwater. Most of the conventional fish belong to this order. The bass, bluegills, perch and crappies of freshwater plus the groupers and sea bass of salt water belong to this order. The fish all have spiny rays in their fins and the tail fin has seventeen rays. There are approximately 150 families. Herein, we have placed the families in alphabetical sequence within this order. (In some instances the typical taxonomic sequence of families is not much help. Consider, for example, that the barracudas are usually placed between the mullets and the threadfins.)

Bony fish, Class Teleostomi, are a class of chordates that include the majority of fish-like animals found on earth. They are characterized by a bony jaw and a bony skeleton. They are found in both fresh and marine waters.

Backboned Animals (Phylum Chordata) are the most advanced group of animals on earth. These animals are characterized by having a spinal cord or backbone. Most members have a clearly defined brain that controls the organism through a spinal cord. Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals are in this phylum.

Currently, some taxonomists believe that the fish should be divided into two groups (sharks and regular fishes) and that there are some other primitive groups in the phylum such as hagfish or lampreys.

Animal Kingdom contains numerous organisms that feed on other animals or plants. Included in the animal kingdom are the lower marine invertebrates such as sponges and corals, the jointed legged animals such as insects and spiders, and the backboned animals such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

NEW SEARCH