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Home/Species/ Okefenokee Pygmy Sunfish

Elassoma okefenokee

Böhlke, 1956

Okefenokee Pygmy Sunfish

G5Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.837547
Element CodeAFCQB09020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderCentrarchiformes
FamilyElassomatidae
GenusElassoma
Concept Reference
Snelson, F. F., Jr., T. J. Krabbenhoft, and J. M. Quattro. 2009. Elassoma gilberti: A new pygmy sunfish (Elassomatidae) from Florida and Georgia. Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History 48(4):119-144.
Taxonomic Comments
MtDNA data indicate that Elassoma is monophyletic; see Quattro et al. (2001b) for information on phylogenetic relationships among the six species in this genus (E. alabamae is widely divergent; E. boehlkei and E. okatie are sister taxa related to the widespread E. evergladei).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2011-11-29
Change Date1996-09-23
Edition Date2011-11-29
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G.
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 - 300
Range Extent Comments
Range includes Atlantic Coastal Plain drainages Altamaha drainage in southern Georgia south to Lake Okeechobee, Florida, and interior lake basins in north-central Florida, and upper Suwannee, Withlacoochee, and Hillsborough river drainages on the Gulf Coast of Florida (Page and Burr 2011).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of occurrences (subpopulations).
Threat Impact Comments
No major threats are known.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species prefers quiet well-vegetated waters; swamps, sloughs, and small sluggish streams, usually over mud (Page and Burr 2011). Eggs are laid on aquatic vegetation.

Reproduction

Eggs hatch in 82 hours at 23 C.
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLAND
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
GeorgiaS4Yes
FloridaS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
No known threats———

—

Roadless Areas (2)
Florida (2)
AreaForestAcres
Alexander Springs CreekOcala National Forest2,954
Impassable BayOsceola National Forest2,789
References (11)
  1. 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.
  2. Jones, W. J., and J. M. Quattro. 1999. Phylogenetic affinities of pygmy sunfishes (ELASSOMA) inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequesnces. Copeia 1999:470-474.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Quattro, J. M., W. J. Jones, J. M. Grady, and F. C. Rohde. 2001b. Gene-gene concordance and the phylogenetic relationships among rare and widespread pygmy sunfishes (genus <i>Elassoma</i>). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 18:217-226.
  10. 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.
  11. Snelson, F. F., Jr., T. J. Krabbenhoft, and J. M. Quattro. 2009. <i>Elassoma gilberti</i>: A new pygmy sunfish (Elassomatidae) from Florida and Georgia. Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History 48(4):119-144.