Lepomis

Lepomis is a genus of freshwater ray-finned fish, family Centrarchidae, order Centrarchiformes, established by the naturalist Constantine Samuel Rafinesque in 1819 with the redbreast sunfish as its type species. The genus comprises thirteen recognized species, commonly called sunfishes, native to the lakes and river tributaries of the United States and Canada; several species have since been introduced elsewhere in the world, in some places becoming invasive. The genus name derives from Greek words for scale and operculum. Most species average 10 to 20 centimeters in length, though some individuals reach as much as 41 centimeters, and Lepomis fishes are popular panfish widely bred and stocked for recreational angling. The bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus, is the genus's most recognizable and widely distributed species.