Enneacanthus obesus
(Girard 1854)
Family Centrarchidae
The banded sunfish is a member of the sunfish family. It has between five and seven dusky black bars on its side, a black teardrop and a rounded caudal fin. There are between 19 and 22 scales around the caudal penduncle. The body is dusky olive, with rows of indistinct purple-gold. Banded sunfish can be found in swamps and vegetated lakes, ponds, pools and backwaters of creeks and small to medium rivers.
Status & distribution
- Status — Native freshwater
- Florida Distribution — Western and North Central and Peninsula drainages
- River Drainages — Perdido River, Blackwater River, Yellow River, Choctawhatchee River, Econfina Creek, Apalachicola River, Ochlockonee River, minor Gulf tributaries, Withlacoochee River, St. John’s River and the St. Mary’s River