# Pygmy sunfish
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{{Short description|Genus of ray-finned fishes}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name = ''Elassoma''
| image = Elassoma_sp.jpg
| image_caption = Unidentified species
| parent_authority = [D. S. Jordan](/source/David_Starr_Jordan), 1877
| display_parents = 3
| taxon = Elassoma
| authority = D. S. Jordan, 1877
| subdivision_ranks = [Species](/source/Species)
| subdivision = See text.
| type_species = ''Elassoma zonata''
| type_species_authority = D. S. Jordan, 1877
}}
'''''Elassoma''''' is a [genus](/source/genus) of [freshwater](/source/freshwater) [fish](/source/fish), the only member of family '''Elassomatidae''' in the [order](/source/order_(biology)) [Centrarchiformes](/source/Centrarchiformes).[{{cite journal |title=Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes Classification - California Academy of Sciences |url=https://www.calacademy.org/scientists/catalog-of-fishes-classification/ |journal=www.calacademy.org |language=en |access-date=14 November 2024}}][{{cite book |title=Fishes of the World |edition=5th |author1=J. S. Nelson |author2=T. C. Grande |author3=M. V. H. Wilson |year=2016 |pages=444–446 |publisher=Wiley |isbn= 978-1-118-34233-6 |url=https://sites.google.com/site/fotw5th/}}] The [type species](/source/type_species) is ''E. zonatum,'' the [banded pygmy sunfish](/source/banded_pygmy_sunfish). The Elassomatidae are known collectively as '''pygmy sunfishes''', and are thought to be closely related to the true freshwater sunfishes in [Centrarchidae](/source/Centrarchidae).[{{Cite journal |last=Lavoué |first=Sébastien |last2=Nakayama |first2=Kouji |last3=Jerry |first3=Dean R. |last4=Yamanoue |first4=Yusuke |last5=Yagishita |first5=Naoki |last6=Suzuki |first6=Nobuaki |last7=Nishida |first7=Mutsumi |last8=Miya |first8=Masaki |date=2014-10-01 |title=Mitogenomic phylogeny of the Percichthyidae and Centrarchiformes (Percomorphaceae): comparison with recent nuclear gene-based studies and simultaneous analysis |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0378111914008166 |journal=Gene |volume=549 |issue=1 |pages=46–57 |doi=10.1016/j.gene.2014.07.033 |issn=0378-1119|url-access=subscription }}] In the past, researchers believed they were related to sticklebacks and pipefishes (order [Syngnathiformes](/source/Syngnathiformes)) rather than Centrarchiformes, though genetic research strongly implies a close relationship with the centrarchids.[{{cite web |author1=Jörg Bohlen |author2=Arne Nolte |title=Elassoma zonatum, E. okefenokee, and E. evergladei: Habitats and Comparative Observations |url=http://www.nanfa.org/ac/AC2012vol37no4_Elassoma%20zonatum%20E_okejenokee%20and%20E_evergladei-habitats%20and%20comparative%20observations_Bohlen_Nolte.pdf |access-date=27 January 2022 |website=Nanfa.org |format=PDF}}]
The pygmy sunfishes grow to a maximum overall length of {{convert|3|to|4|cm|in|round=0.5|abbr=on}}. They occur mostly in [temperate](/source/temperate) and [subtropical](/source/subtropical) swamps, [marsh](/source/marsh)es, and other shallow, slow-moving, and heavily vegetated waters, across an area of the [American South](/source/American_South) stretching from the Coastal Plain of [North Carolina](/source/North_Carolina) to central [Florida](/source/Florida), west along the [Gulf Coast](/source/Gulf_Coast) to eastern [Texas](/source/Texas), and north up the [Mississippi River Valley](/source/Mississippi_River_Valley) to southern [Illinois](/source/Illinois). The bluebarred, Carolina, and spring pygmy sunfishes have small localized populations and are considered Vulnerable.
The pygmy sunfishes are too small to be game fish, but are relatively popular as [aquarium](/source/aquarium) fish because of the males' [iridescent](/source/iridescent) colors and fascinating breeding behaviors. [Egg](/source/egg_(biology))s are laid on or beneath dense vegetation, and the male guards the [nest](/source/nest) area until the fry hatch and scatter. They adapt well to small aquaria and are relatively adaptable to a range of conditions, but seldom take conventional prepared fish foods, instead requiring small live [worm](/source/worm)s, [insect](/source/insect)s, or [crustacean](/source/crustacean)s as food.
== Etymology ==
The generic name ''Elassoma'' derives from the [Greek](/source/Greek_language) ελάσσων (''elasson'') meaning smaller and σώμα (''soma'') meaning body, in reference to the fishes' diminutive size compared to the typical sunfishes.
==Species==
The currently recognized species in this genus are:[{{FishBase genus | genus = Elassoma| month = April | year = 2013}}]
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Species
!Common name
!Image
|-
|''[Elassoma alabamae](/source/Elassoma_alabamae)''
[Mayden](/source/Richard_L._Mayden), 1993
|spring pygmy sunfish
|frameless
|-
|''[Elassoma boehlkei](/source/Elassoma_boehlkei)''
[Rohde](/source/Fred_C._Rohde) & [R. G. Arndt](/source/Rudolf_G._Arndt), 1987
|Carolina pygmy sunfish
|
|-
|''[Elassoma evergladei](/source/Elassoma_evergladei)''
[D. S. Jordan](/source/David_Starr_Jordan), 1884
|Everglades pygmy sunfish
|frameless
|-
|''[Elassoma gilberti](/source/Elassoma_gilberti)''
[Snelson](/source/Franklin_F._Snelson_Jr.), [Krabbenhoft](/source/Trevor_James_Krabbenhoft) & [Quattro](/source/Joseph_Michael_Quattro), 2009
|Gulf Coast pygmy sunfish
|frameless
|-
|''[Elassoma okatie](/source/Elassoma_okatie)''
[Rohde](/source/Fred_C._Rohde) & [R. G. Arndt](/source/Rudolf_G._Arndt), 1987
|bluebarred pygmy sunfish
|frameless
|-
|''[Elassoma okefenokee](/source/Elassoma_okefenokee)''
[J. E. Böhlke](/source/James_Erwin_B%C3%B6hlke), 1956
|Okefenokee pygmy sunfish
|frameless
|-
|''[Elassoma zonatum](/source/Elassoma_zonatum)''
[D. S. Jordan](/source/David_Starr_Jordan), 1877
|banded pygmy sunfish
|frameless
|}
==See also==
* [List of fish families](/source/List_of_fish_families)
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==Other sources==
*[North American Native Fishes Association](/source/North_American_Native_Fishes_Association) (NANFA) Elassoma forum [http://forum.nanfa.org/index.php/forum/128-pygmy-sunfishes/ Pygmy Sunfishes - NANFA Forum]
*Duzen, Bill. "[https://web.archive.org/web/20041214034409/http://www.nativefish.org/Articles/PygmySunfish.htm The Pygmy Sunfish]." ''The Native Fish Conservancy Website.''
{{Taxonbar|from=Q244335}}
Category:Elassoma
Category:Fauna of the Southeastern United States
Category:Taxa named by David Starr Jordan
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pygmy sunfish](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmy_sunfish) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmy_sunfish?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.