I got this from one of our state Bioligists regarding the hybrid pictures I posted, makes sense to me.

 Quote:
Steve,

That is a tough one. First of all, no, I know of no populations of pumpkinseed sunfish anywhere in southeast Nebraska. You can start finding some pumpkinseeds when you get into the sandhills and then west from there, but I cannot think of any populations we have in any other parts of the state. Pumpkinseeds are more of a nothern, "cooler" water sunfish. As with several other species you can find them in parts of Nebraska and in states to our north and east, but you do not find them south of Nebraska and for that matter you do not find them in southern, southeastern Nebraska.

Of course all I can comment on is the pictures you posted, and you know I always post disclaimers about identifying fish from pictures. Sure you can get a good idea and in some cases make a positive identification from photos, but in other cases you need to see more than what the photos show. Having said that, I will tell you that those photos certainly raise my curiosity. I would say that pumpkinseed would NOT be my initial impression. Some type of sunfish hybrid would be my suspicion. My "usual speech" about hybrids is that they usually have characteristics that are intermediate or a combination of the parental species. Those characteristics can vary quite a bit and positive identification based upon visual characteristics may not be possible. Ultimately, genetic analysis may be necessary in order to make a positive identification and that may be especially true with the sunfish species that can readily hybridize. I know of one small pit in central Nebraska that has green sunfish, bluegill and redear sunfish all in the same water less than 1/2 acre in size. The words "hybrid swarm" may be the best description of the sunfish in that pit, and I sampled sunfish from that pit that I would hate to bet any money on their identity.

After looking at your photos I did some head-scratching and you want to know one of the first thoughts that popped into my mind? There weren't some redear sunfish in there sometime that a bluegill could have hybridized with, were there?

After reading some of the comments in the pondboss thread you started, let me make one other comment. No, fisheries biologists are not infallible when it comes to fish identification. Especially when it comes to hybrids, it is very possible that fisheries professionals can be fooled by visual examination. You might need a geneticist specializing in the genetics of those fish species to come up with a positive identification.

How's that for a rambling, "beat-around-the-bush" answer from a pointy-headed fish biologist?

Later,

Daryl B.

P.S. If you wish to share my message with others, feel free.