Enneacanthus chaetodon
(Baird 1855)
Family Centrarchidae
The blackbanded sunfish is a member of the sunfish family. It has an extremely compressed body with six bold, black bars on the head and side. The caudal fin is rounded rounded, and the first spine and membrane of the pelvic fin are pink to red. The back and upper side body are dusky yellow-gray. Blackbanded sunfish can be found in swamps and vegetated lakes, ponds and backwaters of small to medium rivers.
Status & distribution
- Status — Native freshwater
- Florida Distribution — Western and North Central and Peninsula drainages
- River Drainages — minor Gulf tributaries, Suwannee River, Withlacoochee River, Tampa Bay, St. John’s River and the St. Mary’s River