The banded killifish is the only freshwater member of the killifish family present in New York. These little fish are found in the quiet waters of lakes, ponds, rivers, and estuaries.

The banded killifish is a small (2-4 inches), slender fish with a head that is somewhat flattened on top and a small mouth adapted to surface feeding. The tail is nearly square or slightly convex or rounded. Olive green on the back and white on the lower side and belly, it has numerous light and dark vertical bars along its sides.

Banded killifish are abundant on Long Island and in the Hudson River and St. Lawrence River drainages. They are fairly common in Lake Ontario and its tributaries, including the Finger Lakes and Oneida Lake. Scattered records elsewhere suggest that its distribution actually covers the state.

Distribution of the banded killifish in NY state.

A 146 KB image of the banded killifish is also available for download.

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