ID This Sunfish!

[sandtiger]

if your not going to take into account subspecies you will not get a positive id there's 2 unless you wont to count the Florida strain than there's 3 subspecies of the fish in question.

I can get a positive ID on a longear regardless of its sub-species if my goal is to only ID the species to begin with. I'm not going to get into sub-species with these threads because until people can tell a bluegill from a green I think its pointless and counter productive. Be it a Northern longear or a Central longear I can still ID a longear as a longear, what sub-species it is does not matter.

 

[JDS]

I can get a positive ID on a longear regardless of its sub-species if my goal is to only ID the species to begin with. I'm not going to get into sub-species with these threads because until people can tell a bluegill from a green I think its pointless and counter productive. Be it a Northern longear or a Central longear I can still ID a longear as a longear, what sub-species it is does not matter.

I get it now.

 

[sandtiger]

ok i get one chance i say in the immortal words of the irate morman, Hybrid.....
male bluegillXgreen sunfish female cross. its either that or im just as dumb as i thought i was which is probably the case, How many years do you suppose it will take you to teach us Sandtiger, Or as bad as i hate to ask... what is the best book you could recommend.

For covering the entire country the Peterson guide is the best. Once you have that I would look into getting some of the state specific books, obviously your own state first but they'll all be useful. Even though I live in NY I have state books for several and consider them all handy to have, especially when IDing on forums.

EDIT: Most states have a web site specific to them as well. For Indiana there is this one...
http://fn.cfs.purdue.edu/fish4health/fishesofindiana/Fish_of_Indiana.htm
For others who are curious just do a google search on "Fishes of ___" with whatever state you're looking for in the blank, it should be one of the first few links.

 

[JDS]

So you are a true expert or is someone else trying to call me an expert once again?

Not me!!

 

[Noto]

By the way, Sandtiger, is that your fish? I've got a juvenile, and I'm hoping he turns out that nice.

 

[Bottomfeeder]

longear sunfish? it fits the profile and the opercle is highlighted

i agree

 

[le patron]

if your not going to take into account subspecies you will not get a positive id there's 1 unless you wont to count the Florida strain than there's 2 subspecies of the fish in question.

thats not true at all. there is a positive id that isnt a hybrid, otherwise sandtiger wouldnt have said that it isnt a sub species

 

[le patron]

i agree

ouch, sandtiger already said it wasnt a longear a while ago

 

[JIM]

i agree

ok i get one chance i say in the immortal words of the irate morman, Hybrid.....
male bluegillXgreen sunfish female cross.

Telost: Youre right.

I based my ID on the outline and the tail shape, then just started looking for a fish with those features, and came up with the hybrid listed. Lucky??? Probably. Longear crossed my mind as well just because of the long opercular, but other features didnt fit.

 

[MN_Rebel]

cuz hes mad at me , for IDing on color

Well why you cant ID this sunfish? Or you were too scared to be wrong?