The question of whether a bluegill is the same as a bream highlights a common confusion in North American freshwater fishing. This ambiguity exists because “bream” is an informal, regional term lacking scientific precision, while “bluegill” refers to a specific, well-defined species. Clarifying the relationship requires understanding both the biological classification and the varying use of the common name.
Defining the Bluegill
The bluegill is a distinct species of freshwater fish known scientifically as Lepomis macrochirus. It belongs to the sunfish family, Centrarchidae, a group native to North America. Within this family, the bluegill is a member of the genus Lepomis, often called the “true sunfish.”
This species has a characteristic deep, laterally compressed body, giving it a round, platter-like profile. It earns its name from the iridescent blue and purple coloration often found on its cheek and the edge of its gill cover. A consistent identifying feature is the small, dark, flexible flap—the “ear”—on the posterior edge of the gill cover, which is entirely black.
The Broad Scope of the Name “Bream”
The term “bream” is a non-specific common name whose meaning changes significantly depending on geographic location. In the southern United States, “bream” or “brim” is frequently used as a local synonym for the bluegill. It is also used as a collective name for the entire group of panfish species within the Lepomis genus, including redear sunfish and redbreast sunfish.
Globally, the term refers to entirely different families of fish, deepening the confusion. For instance, the common bream (Abramis brama) is a freshwater fish native to Europe, belonging to the Cyprinidae family (carps and minnows). The name “sea bream” is also used for marine fish in the Sparidae family (porgies), such as the gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), which are biologically unrelated to North American sunfish.
Therefore, “bream” is merely a descriptive word, often referring to any deep-bodied, compressed fish, rather than a reliable scientific classification.
Biological Relationship and Distinguishing Features
While bluegill is often called “bream,” it is only one specific species within that generalized common name. Its closest relatives, also frequently called “bream” in the U.S. South, are other sunfish species in the Lepomis genus. Bluegill can be identified by its distinct, solid black opercular flap and a prominent dark spot located at the posterior base of its dorsal fin.
Other species referred to as bream have clear anatomical differences. The redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus) is separated by the bright red or orange border on its opercular flap. It also possesses specialized pharyngeal teeth used to crush shells, earning it the nickname “shellcracker.”
The redbreast sunfish (Lepomis auritus) is recognized by its unusually long, narrow black opercular flap and a vivid red-orange breast. These specific differences confirm that while bluegill is a type of sunfish often called a bream, it is not the same species as the other fish referred to by that vague common name.