Lepomis punctatus
(Valenciennes 1831)
Family Centrarchidae

Lateral view of spotted sunfish
The photo above shows a breeding male, top, and adult, middle, and a juvenile, bottom, spotted sunfish. These fish are now part of the Florida Museum ichthyology collection. Top: UF 235874 Middle: UF 235823 Bottom: UF 238516 Florida Museum photo by Zachary Randall

The spotted sunfish is a member of the sunfish family. It is dark olive on the back and upper side with small black spots on the side of the head. There are rows of black or brown spots on the side of the body, and there is a short and rounded pectoral fin that does not reach past the eye when bent forward. Spotted sunfish can be found in pools of creeks and small to large rivers, ponds, swamps and lakes.

Lateral view of spotted sunfish
The photo above shows two adult spotted sunfish and a juvenile, bottom. These fish are now part of the Florida Museum ichthyology collection. Top: UF 237177 Middle: UF 238020 Bottom: UF 237640 Florida Museum photo by Zachary Randall

Status & distribution

  • Status — Native freshwater
  • Florida Distribution — Western and North Central and Peninsula drainages
  • River Drainages — Perdido River, Escambia River, Blackwater River, Yellow River, Choctawhatchee River, Econfina Creek, Apalachicola River, Ochlockonee River, minor Gulf tributaries, Suwannee River, Withlacoochee River, Tampa Bay, the Myakka or Peace River, Lake Okeechobee, Caloosahatchee River, the Everglades, Indian River, the Tolomato or Matanzas River, St. John’s River, St. Mary’s River
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