What species is this?

Comment

Comment by Greg on June 6, 2012 at 3:31pm

Tony,

thanks for your help in insight.  NO doubt, we catch blue gills and pumpkin seeds around here, probably about 4-1 or 5-1 ratio.  I suppose this could be a hybrid afterall.

In morris county, where we are fishing 99% of the time, I cant say I have ever caught a sunny other than a BG or PSeed. 

In Bergen county, we get Green sunfish in the shallower ponds and BG and sometimes pumpkinseeds.  Also, in some of the rivers, we get  some others that I cant ID yet.  NOtable featuers would be very orange/red breasts, longer ear flaps.  Brighter.  RB/LE/???  I'll get some pics.

Anyway, thanks again.  Appreciated.

Comment by Doc Parker on June 5, 2012 at 12:04pm

Terrific green to rust coloration! What a beautiful fish!!

Comment by Tony Livingston on June 5, 2012 at 11:50am

Trying to put an accurate name to a hybrid sunfish can be extremely challenging. Oftentimes, it comes down to an individual's experience, coupled with visual clues on the fish in question, and a certain amount of "I think this is what it is". In other words, a guess.

To be more specific in this instance, LES usually have a white border along the eartab, and the blue striations on the cheeks tend to be narrower, and more plentiful. I also THINK I see a touch of red on the lower eartab, although I could be mistaken. Longears also have rounded pectoral fins, while on pumpkinseeds they are longer, and more pointed. Once hybridization occurs, the identifying traits of the subspecies involved can become blurred. You also mentioned that a stream feeds into this pond, so a variety of different sunfish are probably present.

I see you are in NJ. I believe that Pumpkinseeds are more prevalent than Longears in your area. That in itself certainly is no guarantee that a LES couldn't cross with a BG where you're at, rather it's just another possible clue.

Comment by Greg on June 5, 2012 at 11:03am

What do you look for to rule outLong-ear hybrid w/ ???????

I am thinking the key feature of the red breast sunfish is the LONG gill flap.

Redear (shell cracker)is out.  Gill flap and coloration is wrong.

Comment by Ronnie M. on June 4, 2012 at 1:48pm

That is a good fish for a small pond. Nice catch.

Comment by John Sheehan on June 4, 2012 at 1:35pm

http://bigbluegill.com/photo/photo/search?q=Bluegills

http://bigbluegill.com/photo/photo/search?q=Pumpkinseeds+

Comment by Tony Livingston on June 4, 2012 at 1:29pm

I agree with John.

Comment by John Sheehan on June 4, 2012 at 12:15pm

I think it's a hybrid Bluegill /Pumpkinseed.Markings on body suggest Pseed ,Earflap ,  and body shape suggest BGill to me.