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Elassoma gilberti Snelson, Krabbenhoft, and Quattro, 2009
Gulf Coast Pygmy Sunfish
Federal Protection: No US federal protection
State Protection: No Georgia state protection
Global Rank: G4G5
State Rank: SU
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: Data Deficient
Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 10
Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Vegetated habitats with no or slow flow in the Coastal Plain
As their name suggests, gulf coast pygmy sunfish are very small, not exceeding 31 mm (1.25 in) in length, similar to other pygmy sunfish species. They are oval in shape, laterally compressed, have a rounded caudal fin, and a single fan-like dorsal fin. Coloration differs between sexes both in pattern and intensity. Males are marked by 5 to 8 narrow iridescent blue bars over a blackish background that are most prominent on the caudal peduncle and break-up into spots toward the front of the body. There are also two prominent blue spots on the head forming a crescent below and behind the eye. The caudal, dorsal, and anal fins are marked with blue bands on their outer portions, with the fins edged in black. Females have alternating tan and brown bars on the rear half of the body, becoming mottled toward the front of the body. They may have the light crescents around the rear of the eye as described for males, but are pale or blue-green in color if present; dorsal and anal fins are spotted. In both sexes there is a pale bar on the midline of the head extending to the tip of the snout; however, it may be completely obscured with dark pigment in breeding individuals. Additionally, both sexes have two vertical pale spots at the base of the caudal fin.
There are three other pygmy sunfish species known within or adjacent to its range. The Everglades pygmy sunfish (Elassoma evergladei) can be distinguished by the embedded scales on top of the head, the mottled rather than barred color pattern, and the absence of a pale midline bar on the snout. The banded pygmy sunfish (Elassoma zonatum) differs in having a distinct dark vertical band below the eye, a dark horizontal band behind the eye, and 1-3 dark blotches on the upper body behind the head. The most similar species is the Okefenokee pygmy sunfish (Elassoma okefenokee), which occurs in parts of the Suwannee drainage that are not occupied by the gulf coast pygmy sunfish. Gulf coast and Okefenokee pygmy sunfish are very closely related and are indistinguishable except by counting preopercular canal pores; gulf coast pygmy sunfish will usually have four on both sides of the head, whereas Okefenokee pygmy sunfish will typically have three. The best way to be certain of distinguishing between these two species is to take the average preopercular canal pore count among five specimens collected at a single locale.
Unstudied; pygmy sunfish in general are mainly found in springs, swamps, ditches, slow moving streams, and other wetlands, usually with abundant submerged vegetation. The closely related Okefenokee pygmy sunfish, which may have similar preference to gulf coast pygmy sunfish, prefers to hide in aquatic plants and rootlets overhanging deeper water rather than beds of vegetation in shallow water.
Unstudied; other pygmy sunfish feed mainly on tiny crustaceans, mollusks, and larval insects.
Unstudied, but likely similar to other pygmy sunfish species. Pygmy sunfish spawn during spring, with males establishing territories within aquatic vegetation. Males guard these territories from other males and non-spawning females through visual displays and chases. Once an interested female enters a territory, the male begins a distinctive dance to encourage spawning. Eggs are laid in the vegetation and are protected by the male until hatching. Growth is rapid, but few individuals live much longer than one year.
Seines, dip-nets, light traps, and minnow traps can all be effective means of capture provided that mesh is appropriately sized.
Most of the range of the gulf coast pygmy sunfish is in Florida, extending from the Choctawhatchee Bay drainage in the Florida Panhandle to Homosassa Springs in the upper Florida peninsula. In Georgia it is known from the lower Flint River drainage and the Aucilla River drainage, and may potentially occur in the Ochlockonee River drainage. Gulf coast pygmy sunfish and Okefenokee pygmy sunfish overlap in the Suwanee River drainage, with the Okefenokee pygmy sunfish generally occurring in eastern and northern parts of the basin and gulf coast pygmy sunfish occupying the southern portions. Currently, only Okefenokee pygmy sunfish are known from the Suwannee River basin in Georgia, but gulf coast pygmy sunfish should be looked for in the Little River and Withlacoochee River watersheds.
Pygmy sunfish need access to permanent wetlands for survival, thus excessive wetland drying through drainage and groundwater withdrawal may be the primary threat to this species. Additionally, agricultural runoff of herbicides and pesticides could threaten populations through reduction of aquatic vegetation and the invertebrates they utilize as a food source.
| Threat 1 | Threat 2 | Threat 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Threat | Natural system modifications | Pollution | Climate change & severe weather |
| Specific Threat | Dams & water management/use | Agricultural & forestry effluents | None |
There are few confirmed records of this species, and few are recent. However, its preferred habitats are not often sampled.
Conservation of this species depends on maintenance of permanent wetland habitats within its range by using agricultural and forestry best management practices that do not overdrain the land, use minimal irrigation, and minimize runoff.
Böhlke, J.E. 1956. A new pygmy sunfish from southern Georgia. Notulae Naturae (Philadelphia). 294: 1-11.
Boschung, H.T. & R.L. Mayden. 2004. The Fishes of Alabama. Smithsonian Institiute, Washington DC. 736 pp.
Snelson, F.F., T.J. Krabbenhoft, & J.M.Quattro. 2009. Elassoma gilberti, a new species of pygmy sunfish (Elassomatidae) from Florida and Georgia. Bulletin of the Florida Museum of Natural History. 48: 119-144.
Marcus Zokan
2/4/2019
