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Acantharchus pomotis

(Baird, 1855)

Mud Sunfish

G4Apparently Secure (G4G5) Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.106210
Element CodeAFCQB05010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderCentrarchiformes
FamilyCentrarchidae
GenusAcantharchus
Concept Reference
Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
Monotypic genus. Analysis of variation in meristic and morphometric characters does not support recognition of subspecies in this species (Cashner et al. 1989).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2011-10-12
Change Date2011-10-12
Edition Date2011-12-26
Edition AuthorsJackson, D., C. Sahley, and G. Hammerson
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
Widespread in Atlantic states from New York to Florida; still present throughout most of the natural range; habitat is not immediately threatened; not used in sport or commercial fisheries.
Range Extent Comments
This species is widely distributed but uncommon throughout the Atlantic Coastal Plain and lower Piedmont from the Hudson River drainage (New York; at least formerly) to the St. Johns River in northern Florida; it also occurs in Gulf Coastal Plain in northern Florida and southern Georgia from the Suwannee River to St. Marks River, and (disjunctly) in the lower Tombigbee River drainage in Alabama, where apparently it is native (Page and Burr 2011). A hiatus in the range occurs in western Chesapeake Bay tributaries from the Susquehanna to Potomac rivers in Maryland and Virginia (records from the Potomac are erroneous) (Cashner et al. 1989). See Cashner et al. (1989) for further information on distribution and status in particular states.
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of occurrences.
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats exist at the present time or for the forseeable future. Pollution and habitat modification such as drainage and damming are potential, but not immediate, problems.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Body deep, strongly compressed; two dorsal fins, broadly connected to each other, the anterior one having 10-12 spines and the posterior one having 9-13 soft rays; caudal fin rounded; scales cycloid (smooth rear edge); 3-4 parallel black stripes across face and along each side; eyes large, snout short; mouth large, with upper jaw extending below eye; body light to dark green; ear flap with black spot (and orange spot in large individuals); fins clear to dusky olive, with a black edge on the anal fin; 32-45 lateral scales; 20-30 (usually 24-28) scales around caudal peduncle; 4-6 (usually 5) anal spines, 9-11 rays; maximum length around 21 cm (Page and Burr 1991).

Diagnostic Characteristics

Differs from all other sunfishes in having cycloid scales rather than ctenoid scales (the latter have a toothed rear edge); only the green sunfish has 23 or more scales around the caudal peduncle (Page and Burr 1991).

Habitat

Habitat is primarily darkly stained, sluggish, weedy lowland creeks, small to medium rivers (including backwaters), ponds, lakes, and swamps, usually with mud, silt, or detritus substrates (Page and Burr 2011).

Ecology

Relatively sedentary. May exhibit high mortality when swamps shrink and/or dry up. In North Carolina, average standing stock was 351 individuals/ha and 14.7 kg/ha (Pardue 1993).

Reproduction

In North Carolina, spawned at temperatures as low as 6 C; females with ripe eggs were found January-May; both sexes reached maturity at age 1+; lifespan is short, 4+ years (Pardue 1993).
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLAND
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
DelawareS2Yes
PennsylvaniaSXYes
GeorgiaS3Yes
New YorkSHYes
FloridaS3Yes
VirginiaS3Yes
New JerseyS3Yes
North CarolinaS4Yes
MarylandS3Yes
AlabamaS1Yes
South CarolinaS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
No known threats———

—

Roadless Areas (4)
Florida (2)
AreaForestAcres
Natural Area WsaOsceola National Forest2,543
PinhookOsceola National Forest15,405
North Carolina (2)
AreaForestAcres
Catfish Lake NorthCroatan National Forest11,299
Pond Pine BCroatan National Forest2,961
References (24)
  1. Albanese, Brett (Georgia Department of Natural Resources). 2010. Personal communication with Margaret Ormes (NatureServe) about the distribution of <i>Cyprinella callisema</i>, <i>Cyprinella nivea</i> and <i>Acantharchus pomotis</i> in Georgia.
  2. Boschung, H. T., and R. L. Mayden. 2004. Fishes of Alabama. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. 960 pp.
  3. Cashner, R. C., B. M. Burr, and J. S. Rogers. 1989. Geographic variation of the mud sunfish, <i>Acantharchus pomotis</i> (family Centrarchidae). Copeia 1989:129-141.
  4. Cooper, E. L. 1983. Fishes of Pennsylvania and the northeastern United States. Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park. 243 pp.
  5. Hoehn, Theodore S. and D. Gray Bass (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)). 2000a. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, TNC. March 2000.
  6. Jelks, H. L., S. J. Walsh, N. M. Burkhead, S. Contreras-Balderas, E. Díaz-Pardo, D. A. Hendrickson, J. Lyons, N. E. Mandrak, F. McCormick, J. S. Nelson, S. P. Platania, B. A. Porter, C. B. Renaud, J. Jacobo Schmitter-Soto, E. B. Taylor, and M.L. Warren, Jr. 2008. Conservation status of imperiled North American freshwater and diadromous fishes. Fisheries 33(8):372-407.
  7. Jenkins, R. E., and N. M. Burkhead. 1994. Freshwater fishes of Virginia. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland. xxiii + 1079 pp.
  8. Lee, D. S., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980. Atlas of North American freshwater fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina. i-x + 854 pp.
  9. Marcy, B. C., Jr., D. E. Fletcher, F. D. Martin, M. H. Paller, and M.J.M. Reichert. 2005. Fishes of the middle Savannah River basin. University of Georgia Press, Athens. xiv + 460 pp.
  10. Master, L. L. and A. L. Stock. 1998. Synoptic national assessment of comparative risks to biological diversity and landscape types: species distributions. Summary Report submitted to Environmental Protection Agency. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA. 36 pp.
  11. Menhinick, E. F. 1991. The freshwater fishes of North Carolina. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. 227 pp.
  12. Nelson, J. S., E. J. Crossman, H. Espinosa-Perez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, and J. D. Williams. 2004. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 29, Bethesda, Maryland. 386 pp.
  13. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp.
  14. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 2011. Peterson field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. xix + 663 pp.
  15. Page, L. M., H. Espinosa-Pérez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, R. L. Mayden, and J. S. Nelson. 2013. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Seventh edition. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 34, Bethesda, Maryland.
  16. Page, L. M., K. E. Bemis, T. E. Dowling, H.S. Espinosa-Pérez, L.T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, K. E. Hartel, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, M. A. Neigbors, J. J. Schmitter-Soto, and H. J. Walker, Jr. 2023. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Eighth edition. American Fisheries Society (AFS), Special Publication 37, Bethesda, Maryland, 439 pp.
  17. Pardue, G. B. 1993. Life history and ecology of the mud sunfish (<i>Acantharchus pomotis</i>). Copeia 1993:533-540.
  18. Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
  19. Rohde, Fritz (Icthyologist, North Carolina Division of Marine Fishes). 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI.
  20. Smith, C. L. 1983. Fishes of New York (maps and printout of a draft section on scarce fishes of New York). Unpublished draft.
  21. Smith, C. L. 1985. The inland fishes of New York State. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Albany, New York, xi + 522 pp.
  22. State Natural Heritage Data Centers. 1996a. Aggregated element occurrence data from all U.S. state natural heritage programs, including the Tennessee Valley Authority, Navajo Nation and the District of Columbia. Science Division, The Nature Conservancy.
  23. Straight, C.A., B. Albanese, and B.J. Freeman. [Internet]. [updated 2009 March 25]. Fishes of Georgia Website, Georgia Museum of Natural History; Accessed May 2010. Online. Available from: http://fishesofgeorgia.uga.edu
  24. Whittier, Thomas R. 2000. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Anthony E. Zammit, ABI. March 2000.