The Ozark bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. It is native only to the White River, Sac River, James River, and Pomme de Terre River drainages of Missouri and Arkansas. The species is commonly referred to as “goggle-eye”.
Ozark bass
Ozark bass caught in the James River, Missouri, 2018
Centrarchidae, better known as sunfishes, is a family of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the order Perciformes, native only to North America. There are eight universally included genera within the centrarchid family: Lepomis, Micropterus, Pomoxis (crappies), Enneacanthus, Centrarchus, Archoplites, Ambloplites, and Acantharchus. A genetic study in 2012 suggests that the highly distinct pygmy sunfishes of the genus Elassoma are also centrarchids.
Image: Centrarchus macropterus (1)
Image: Centrarchidae Native Range
smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)
Centrarchidae Native Range