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Panfish diversity and their ancestral roots

Fossil evidence shows that ancestral sunfish evolved in North American freshwater systems during the Eocene epoch – 56 to 34 million years ago. (Photos courtesy of Russ Mason)

Ever since, I’ve had an appreciation for their diversity. The body shapes, colors, feeding strategies, and life histories of panfish reflect not only their evolutionary history but also their more recent adaptation to North American lakes, rivers, and wetlands.

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