Fish Familes:Centrarchidae

Family Centrarchidae

The basses, crappies, and sunfish













Michigan species we have seen in the field:

bluegill sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus
pumpkinseed sunfish, Lepomis gibbosus
green sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus
longear sunfish, Lepomis megalotis
largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides
smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieui
black crappie, Pomoxis nigromaculatus
white crappie, Pomoxis annularis
rock bass, Ambloplites rupestris

Key Characteristics of the family:
single dorsal fin, anterior spiny, posterior soft rayed
at least three anal spines
generally lateraly conpressed, deep bodied fish (crappies and sunfish)
ctenoid scales