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The sunfishes are a family (Centrarchidae) of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the order Perciformes. The type genus is Centrarchus (consisting solely of the flier, C. macropterus). The family's 27 species includes many fishes familiar to North Americans, including the black basscataractae shoal bass M. coosae redeye bass M. dolomieu smallmouth bass M. notius Suwannee bass M. punctulatus spotted bass M. salmoides largemouth bass M. treculii Guadalupe bass Micropterus Lacepede, 1802, is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish faes, rock bass , largemouth bassThe largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family ( Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. One of the black basses, it is native to a wide area east of the Rocky Mountains in North America, encompassing the Miss, bluegillThe bluegill Lepomis macrochirus is a species of freshwater fish. It is a member of the sunfish family (family Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. It is native to a wide area of North America, from Quebec to northern Mexico, and has been widely transplan, and crappieannularis white crappy L. nigromaculatus black crappy Pomoxis Rafinesque, 1818, is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family (family Centrarchidae) of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis the white crappie. The species of this genuss. All are native only to North America.

Family members are distinguished by having at least three anal spines. The dorsal spines are 5–13 in number, but most species have 10–12. The pseudobranchThe pseudobranch also pseudobranchia is the reduced first gill arch of a fish. In teleost they are mostly without respiratory function, and in elasmobranchs are the gill arch of the spiracle. The function of the pseudobranch is unknown, but it is believed is small and concealed. Sizes of most are in the 20–30  cm (8–12  in) range, but with the largemouth bass reported to reach almost one metre (just over three feet) in extreme cases.

The male of most species builds a nest by hollowing out a depression using his tail, then guards the eggs.

Most sunfishes are valued for sports fishing, and have been introduced in many areas outside their original ranges, sometimes becoming pests.

The marine sunfishes (family Molidae) are entirely unrelated; for some other fishes known as "sunfish", see Sunfish.