Green Sunfish
Lepomis cyanellus Rafinesque, 1819
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Teleostei |
| Order | Centrarchiformes |
| Family | Centrarchidae |
| Genus | Lepomis |
| Species | Lepomis cyanellus Rafinesque, 1819 |
Description
Diagnostic characters
- Ecological class
- Stygoxene
- Realm
- Aquatic
Distribution
Range
Known from eight counties across four states.
Continent
North America
Country
United States
States and provinces
Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky
Counties
- Alabama
- DeKalb, Jackson, Madison, Marshall, Morgan
- Arkansas
- Izard
- Illinois
- Monroe
- Kentucky
- Breckinridge
Conservation and management
IUCN Red List
LC Least Concern
Assessed in 2019.
NatureServe
G5 Secure
National ranks
- Canada
- N4 Apparently Secure
- United States
- N5 Secure
Subnational ranks
- Ontario
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Quebec
- SNA Not Applicable
- North Carolina
- SNA Not Applicable
- Wyoming
- SNA Not Applicable
- Virginia
- S5 Secure
- Illinois
- S5 Secure
- Massachusetts
- SNA Not Applicable
- Idaho
- SNA Not Applicable
- South Carolina
- SNA Not Applicable
- Kentucky
- S4 Apparently Secure
- Louisiana
- S5 Secure
- Colorado
- S5 Secure
- Connecticut
- SNA Not Applicable
- South Dakota
- S5 Secure
- Pennsylvania
- S5 Secure
- Oklahoma
- SNR Unranked
- Tennessee
- S5 Secure
- Delaware
- SNA Not Applicable
- Arizona
- SNA Not Applicable
- Texas
- S5 Secure
- Missouri
- SNR Unranked
- California
- SNA Not Applicable
- New Mexico
- SNA Not Applicable
- Montana
- SNA Not Applicable
- New York
- S3 Vulnerable
- Ohio
- S5 Secure
- Nebraska
- S5 Secure
- Iowa
- S5 Secure
- Georgia
- S5 Secure
- Indiana
- S5 Secure
- Navajo Nation
- SNA Not Applicable
- Maine
- SNR Unranked
- Utah
- SNA Not Applicable
- Minnesota
- SNR Unranked
- Nevada
- SNA Not Applicable
- Arkansas
- S4 Apparently Secure
- West Virginia
- S5 Secure
- Michigan
- S5 Secure
- Maryland
- SNA Not Applicable
- Mississippi
- S5 Secure
- Kansas
- S5 Secure
- New Jersey
- SNA Not Applicable
- Alabama
- S5 Secure
- North Dakota
- SNR Unranked
- Washington
- SNA Not Applicable
- Florida
- SNR Unranked
- District of Columbia
- SNA Not Applicable
- Oregon
- SNA Not Applicable
- Wisconsin
- S5 Secure
Ranks looked up 2 August 2026. Conservation status changes, and a rank here is as current as that date and no more.
State and federal status
Not listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
References
- Armstrong, J.G. & Williams, J.D. 1971. Cave and spring fishes of the southern bend of the Tennessee River. Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science 46: 107–115.
- McDaniel, V.R. & Gardner, J.E. 1977. Cave fauna of Arkansas: vertebrate taxa. Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science 31: 68–71. https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol31/iss1/22. details
- Niemiller, M.L., Anderson, C.L., Maxwell, E.C., Midgette, H., Quering, C., Richards, M., Wilson, K. & Wirwa, N. 2025b. A noteworthy range extension of the federally endangered Alabama Cave Shrimp (Palaemonias alabamae) south of the Tennessee River in northern Alabama. Southeastern Naturalist 24: N47-N58. doi:10.1656/058.024.0403
- Pearson, W.D. & Boston, C.H., Jr. 1995. Distribution and status of the northern cavefish, Amblyopsis spelaea. Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program,, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. 99 pp.
- Rheams, K.F., Moser, P.H. & McGregor, S.W. 1992. Geologic, hydrologic, and biologic investigations in Arrowwood, Bobcat, Matthews, and Shelta caves and selected caves, Madison, County, Alabama. Geological Survey of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA. 262 pp.
- Rheams, K.F., Moser, P.H. & McGregor, S.W. 1994. Hydrogeologic and biologic factors related to the occurrence of the Alabama cave shrimp (Palaemonias alabamae), Madison County, Alabama. Geological Survey of Alabama Bulletin 161: 1–147.
- Webb, D.W., Taylor, S.J. & Krejca, J.K. 1993. The biological resources of Illinois caves and other subterranean environments. Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign, Illinois, USA. 143 pp.
This account was last revised 6 September 2026. Conservation ranks were looked up 2 August 2026.
How to cite this account
Lepomis cyanellus Rafinesque, 1819. Cave Biology Data Portal, account SP-2567. https://cavebiology.org/species/lepomis-cyanellus/ (accessed 22 October 2026).
Data sources and funding are listed in the Acknowledgments.
Spotted something wrong on this page? Report a correction. Accounts are compiled from many sources and corrections from people who know the group are the most useful email we get.