Originally Posted By: snrub
Has a long pointed pectoral fin also.

RES fact sheet
An interesting tidbit from above link: "Lepomis microlophus is composed of two unnamed subspecies; one in Florida, Georgia, and southern Alabama, the other throughout the rest of its range. The two subspecies may no longer be distinguishable due to interbreeding caused by stocking programs (Page and Burr 1991)."
Explains to me why there are two different distinctive "looks" that RES can have.

More than you ever wanted to know about RES (and probably some things you shouldn't know)


I would like to see the work by Page and Burr (1991). I have collected and even bred RES from through out its natural range. No major differences jumped out other than one southern stock had males that turned nearly black while nesting. The contaminated stocks I think would be in the north.

Aquaculture
Cooperative Research / Extension
Lincoln University of Missouri