Pygmy sunfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elassoma |
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| Unidentified species | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Centrarchidae |
| Subfamily: | Elassomatinae D. S. Jordan, 1877 |
| Genus: | Elassoma D. S. Jordan, 1877 |
| Type species | |
| Elassoma zonata D. S. Jordan, 1877
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| Species | |
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See text. |
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Elassoma is a group of very small freshwater fish. They are often called pygmy sunfishes because they look a bit like sunfish. However, some scientists think they are different enough to be in their own special family, called Elassomatidae. The most well-known species is the banded pygmy sunfish, E. zonatum.
These tiny fish grow to be about 3 to 4 cm (1 to 1.5 in) long. That's about the length of your thumb! They live in warm places like swamps, marshes, and other shallow, slow-moving waters. You can find them in the southern United States, from North Carolina to central Florida, and west to eastern Texas. They also live north along the Mississippi River Valley to southern Illinois.
Some types of pygmy sunfish, like the bluebarred, Carolina, and spring pygmy sunfishes, have very small populations. This means they are considered vulnerable and need protection.
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Pygmy Sunfish as Pets
Pygmy sunfishes are too small to be caught for sport fishing. But they are quite popular as aquarium fish. People like them because the male fish have shiny, iridescent colors. They also have interesting ways of finding a mate and raising their young.
These fish do well in small home aquariums. They can live in different water conditions. However, they usually don't eat regular fish food. They prefer small live foods like tiny worms, insects, or small crabs and shrimp.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
When it's time to have babies, pygmy sunfish lay their eggs on or under thick plants in the water. The male fish then guards the nest area. He stays there until the baby fish, called fry, hatch. Once they hatch, the tiny fry swim away on their own.
What Does Elassoma Mean?
The name Elassoma comes from two Greek words. "Elasson" means "smaller," and "soma" means "body." This name perfectly describes these fish, as they are much smaller than other sunfish.
Types of Pygmy Sunfish
Here are the different types of pygmy sunfish known today:
- Elassoma alabamae Mayden, 1993 (spring pygmy sunfish)
- Elassoma boehlkei Rohde & R. G. Arndt, 1987 (Carolina pygmy sunfish)
- Elassoma evergladei D. S. Jordan, 1884 (Everglades pygmy sunfish)
- Elassoma gilberti Snelson, Krabbenhoft & Quattro, 2009 (Gulf Coast pygmy sunfish)
- Elassoma okatie Rohde & R. G. Arndt, 1987 (bluebarred pygmy sunfish)
- Elassoma okefenokee J. E. Böhlke, 1956 (Okefenokee pygmy sunfish)
- Elassoma zonatum D. S. Jordan, 1877 (banded pygmy sunfish)
