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Enneacanthus chaetodon (Baird, 1855)
Blackbanded Sunfish
Federal Protection: No US federal protection
State Protection: Endangered
Global Rank: G3
State Rank: S1
Element Locations Tracked in Biotics: Yes
SWAP 2015 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): Yes
SWAP 2025 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): Yes
2025 SGCN Priority Tier: High Conservation Concern
Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 10
Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Blackwater streams; Carolina bays; cypress/gum ponds
The blackbanded sunfish is a small, laterally compressed and deep-bodied species reaching a maximum total length of 100 mm (4 inches). There is a prominent notch separating the spinous and soft-rayed portions of the dorsal fin. It is distinctively marked with 5-6 black bars along the sides that extend from the dorsum to the venter. The first of these bars passes through the eye, and the third extends through the first three membranes of the spinous dorsal fin to the upper edge of the fin. No other sunfish has this barring pattern. The blackbanded sunfish is also very colorful with black vertical bars, olive-brown to variegated-brown on the dorsum and upper sides, and orange-copper marking the leading edge of the pelvic fins and the irises.
The small body size and distinctive color pattern make it difficult to confuse the blackbanded sunfish with any other fish species in Georgia waters. It may superficially resemble the banded (Enneacanthus obesus) and bluespotted (E. gloriosus) sunfishes, which differ in having only a shallow notch separating the spinous and soft-rayed portions of the dorsal fin and lacking the prominent dark bar extending through the anterior dorsal fin membranes.
Blackbanded sunfish are restricted to low-velocity, non-turbid waters of lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. They are strongly associated with aquatic plants, which provide habitat for foraging and cover. Occupied waters are tea-stained and usually, but not always, with low pH. Beaver ponds appear to be important habitats for breeding and for juvenile life stages.
Small invertebrates associated with aquatic vegetation.
Spawning occurs in the spring and has been reported as early as March in North Carolina to as late as June in Delaware; reported water temperatures range from 20-28 °C (68-82 °F) for several field studies. Most spawning behavior studies are based upon aquarium observations. Adults create nests (depressions) in sand or gravel substrates beneath aquatic vegetation, or in hollows made among plant roots or in masses of plants. Nests are usually shallow, approximately 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter, and are guarded by the males. Data from more northern populations suggest a lifespan of 3-4 years, but aquarium specimens have lived more than 8 years.
Because of rarity and its association with densely vegetated habitats, this species is very difficult to collect. Multiple surveys using a variety of gear types (e.g., seines, traps, dipnets) are required to ensure a sufficient probability of detecting this species when present. Crayfish traps with several funnel-shaped entrances are effective when set overnight and baited with worms, frozen bloodworms, or frozen brine shrimp. The top of the trap should be exposed at the water surface so that captured fishes do not die when oxygen levels decline during the night. The SC Department of Natural Resources has detected this species using environmental DNA (eDNA).
The blackbanded sunfish ranges below the Fall Line in Atlantic and Gulf Coast drainages from New Jersey to northern Florida. Distribution throughout the Coastal Plain of Georgia is spotty; museum records indicate populations in the Savannah River drainage, St. Marys River drainage (Okefenokee Swamp), Suwanee River drainage (Okefenokee Swamp and the Alapaha River system) and the Aucilla River system. Unknown populations could occur in the Coastal Plain portions of any Atlantic or Gulf Coastal drainage east of the Ochlockonee River drainage. The blackbanded sunfish is rare to uncommon throughout most of its range, except for areas in North Carolina and New Jersey. Check this species conservation status map for its distribution by watershed in South Carolina and Georgia.
Populations of this species are small and extremely localized, which makes each population vulnerable to extirpation with very limited opportunities for subsequent population recovery. A variety of human-caused and natural factors could lead to local population loss, including drainage modification, changes in aquatic plant communities, extreme drought or excessive water withdrawal, and nutrient pollution. A non-native apple snail species has become established in southeast Georgia and could threaten the aquatic plants utilized by the blackbanded sunfish. Several authors have suggested that competition with or predation by other centrarchid sunfishes may explain the absence from or rarity within habitats that would otherwise be suitable for the blackbanded sunfish.
| Threat 1 | Threat 2 | Threat 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Threat | Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Natural system modifications | None |
| Specific Threat | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Dams & water management/use | None |
There has been substantial effort to survey for Blackbanded Sunfish at known and potential sites in the last decade. Bechler and Salter (2014) made 250 collections at 72 sites spanning the known range of Blackbanded Sunfish in the Suwanee and St. Marys river drainages in south-central and southeast Georgia between 2011-2013. Seining was the primary sampling method with the number of seine hauls ranging from 10-250 depending on the amount of suitable habitat present at each site. They only detected Blackbanded Sunfish within a known location in the Aucilla River system and at one new site in the upper Alapaha River system. The Alapaha River locality, an impounded Carolina Bay, has been sampled repeately between 2011 and 2018 but Blackbanded Sunfish have not been detected there since 2012.
In 2015, Georgia DNR and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources carried out environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling at 30 sites where Bechler and Salter (2014) noted suitable habitat but did not detect the species while seining. Four sites tested positive for Blackbanded Sunfish eDNA. Three of these sites were clustered in a small portion of the Alapaha River system near Banks Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Grand Bay Wildlife Management Area; the fourth site was in a tributary to Okefenokee Swamp. Repeated sampling using trapping, seining, and boat electrofishing have not detected Blackbanded Sunfish at any of these sites or sites nearby. Interestingly, the new Alapaha River population discovered by Bechler and Salter (2014) also tested positive for Blackbanded Sunfish eDNA. Collectivley, the eDNA results suggest that populations of Blackbanded Sunfish are too small to detect with traditional sampling methods or are occurring in areas that are inaccessible to sampling.
The Okefenokee Swamp Population is difficult to sample due to its size, but likely contains the largest and most stable population of Blackbanded Sunfish in Georgia. Blackbanded Sunfish have been collected from 9 locations within the Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, including locations on the eastern (St. Mary's drainage) and western (Suwannee drainage) side of the swamp. Recent occurrences (2017-2018) are from the Suwanne side and were collected using boat electrofishing and trapping methods.
Conservation of populations of blackbanded sunfish depends upon maintaining habitat quality in the Okefenokee Swamp and in other appropriate habitats. Habitat loss through pollution, drainage and hydrologic alteration of Coastal Plain swamps, rivers, and wetlands must be avoided. Fishing and boating gear should be carefully cleaned before moving between waterbodies to prevent the establishment of non-native plants and other invasive species that could degrade habitat quality for Blackbanded Sunfish. Finally, fish communities at the few known sites should not be altered through stocking of sport fishes.
Bechler, D.L. and J. Salter. 2014. Status of the Blackbanded Sunfish and other Special Concern Species in Georgia. Unpublished report to the Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources, Wildlife Conservation Section, Social Circle. 27 pp.
Burkhead, N. M. And R. E. Jenkins. 1991. Fishes. Pages 321-409 in K. Terwilliger (coord.). Virginia's endangered species. McDonald and Woodward, Blacksburg, Va.
Darden, T. 2000. Survey for blackbanded sunfish in Georgia. Unpublished report to Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Nongame Conservation Section, Social Circle.
Jenkins, R. E. and N. M. Burkhead. 1993. Freshwater fishes of Virginia. Am. Fish. Soc., Bethesda, Md. 1079pp.
Johnson, S. A. and W. J. Barichivich. 2004. A simple technique for trapping Siren lacertina, and Amphiuma means, and other aquatic vertebrates. Journal of Freshwater Ecology 19 (2): 263-269.
Kilian, J.V., S.A. Stranko, R.L. Raesly, A.J. Becker, and P. Ciccotto. 2009. Enneacanthus chaetodon (blackbanded sunfish): an imperiled element of Maryland’s Coastal Plain Ichthyofauna. Southeastern Naturalist
Laerm, J. and B. J. Freeman. 1986. Fishes of the Okefenokee Swamp. Univ. Georgia Press, Athens. 118pp.
Lee, S. L., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R.Stauffer. 1980. Atlas of North American fishes. North Carolina State Mus. Nat. Hist. 867pp.
Page, L. M. and B. M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. 432pp.
Tate, W.B. and S.J. Walsh. 2005. Distribution and ecological requirements of the Okefenokee pygmy sunfish and the blackbanded sunfish in Florida. Final Report. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tallahassee, Florida.
Byron J. Freeman, Stephen Vives, and Brett Albanese
B. Freeman, 1999: original account.
B. Albanese, 2009: general update of entire account, incorporation of info provided in Vives’ protected species nomination form.
B. Albanese, 2019. general update and incorporation of new conservation status info and pictures.
