Pond Boss
Posted By: esshup What type of hybrid? - 02/02/23 05:31 AM
The "bluegill" in the center. It was caught in a Northern Minnesota lake on 2-1-2023, I don't know yet what other lepomis are in there. The mouth looks bigger than a regular BG, but no orange on the fish like it is a cross with a Green Sunfish. FWIW, it's between 9" and 10" in length.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
Posted By: Snipe Re: What type of hybrid? - 02/02/23 06:10 AM
esshup, I'm not always right, but when I am it's a good day.
I don't see anything that leads me in another direction from "mostly" BG-on the center fish.. I say mostly because we understand there has been a lot of hybridization throughout time that we may not see anymore traits of something else.
Posted By: esshup Re: What type of hybrid? - 02/02/23 07:49 AM
Originally Posted by Snipe
esshup, I'm not always right, but when I am it's a good day.
I don't see anything that leads me in another direction from "mostly" BG-on the center fish.. I say mostly because we understand there has been a lot of hybridization throughout time that we may not see anymore traits of something else.

I'm saying that because of the mouth size. Enlarge the picture if you can, it seems way bigger than a typical BG mouth.
Posted By: Sunil Re: What type of hybrid? - 02/02/23 02:29 PM
Looks like standard bluegill to me.
Posted By: Bill Cody Re: What type of hybrid? - 02/02/23 03:01 PM
The mouth looks bigger because the mouth is open whereas the other BG have their mouth closed and it appears they have a smaller mouth. The open mouth better shows the maxillary thus is appears larger than that of a closed mouth. I agree with Snipe and Sunil, all the non-crappie in the pic I think are what we standardly call northern strain BG and they probably were caught from clear, light brown stained water. BG from wild natural populations will have a 'fair' amount of natural variation of color. I will next post a link of mouth size variation for the common sunfish (Lepomiis) species. The bluegill does have a small amount of mouth size variation in natural populations that is also noted in this well done video link that has some good useful information.

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Posted By: esshup Re: What type of hybrid? - 02/02/23 03:34 PM
They came from a part of Lake Winnibigoshish in Minnesota. 56,471 acres, so there could be anything in there. Where the guy was fishing has a limit of 5 BG per day.
Posted By: Theo Gallus Re: What type of hybrid? - 02/02/23 04:16 PM
Full disclosure, I had to look up "Maxillary".

Dr. Perca teaches me a new word!
Posted By: ewest Re: What type of hybrid? - 02/02/23 04:47 PM
Looks like regular BG to me. Same on other lepomis except top middle which is different when enlarged.
Posted By: jludwig Re: What type of hybrid? - 02/02/23 05:41 PM
How far back the hinge point of the jaw goes back is the easiest way I identify BG hybrids.
Posted By: esshup Re: What type of hybrid? - 02/06/23 09:33 AM
Another one from a lake near where the first fish was caught. Is it a straight PS or a PS/BG hybrid?

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
Posted By: canyoncreek Re: What type of hybrid? - 02/06/23 01:40 PM
I don't see very much Pumpkinseed native traits. I would say there has to be some NBG traits in there as well.
Posted By: esshup Re: What type of hybrid? - 02/06/23 06:28 PM
Originally Posted by canyoncreek
I don't see very much Pumpkinseed native traits. I would say there has to be some NBG traits in there as well.

Blue bars on the cheek, red dot on the ear tab all point to PS genes. Fishbase.org has PS getting to 15.75" and 1.38#
Posted By: RAH Re: What type of hybrid? - 02/06/23 08:02 PM
Wanting some pumpkinseed for my 3rd pond.
Posted By: ewest Re: What type of hybrid? - 02/06/23 09:00 PM
PS crossing with BG is very common.

See WiscFish BG - slides 37-40 for good hybrid PSxBG pics. Also has a listing of lepomis traits.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/fish-id/#fishMain


Compare Similar Species
Lateral Scales
Bluegill
39-45
Sunfish, Green
44-51
Sunfish, Longear
34-38
Sunfish, Orangespotted
36-41
Pumpkinseed
38-43
Warmouth
36-40
Bass, Rock
39-43
Opercular Flap Color
Bluegill
Solid dark
Sunfish, Green
Dark with light margin
Sunfish, Longear
Dark with light margin
Sunfish, Orangespotted
Dark with light margin
Pumpkinseed
Dark with light spot at tip
Warmouth
Dark with light margin
Bass, Rock
Solid dark
Gill Rakers
Bluegill
13-16, moderately long
Sunfish, Green
11-14, long and thin
Sunfish, Longear
9-11, short and thick
Sunfish, Orangespotted
10-15, long and thin
Pumpkinseed
9-12, short and thick
Warmouth
9-12, moderately long
Bass, Rock
7-10, long and thin
Pectoral Fin
Bluegill
Long, pointed
Sunfish, Green
Moderately long, rounded
Sunfish, Longear
Short, rounded or blunt point
Sunfish, Orangespotted
Long, rounded or blunt point
Pumpkinseed
Long, pointed
Warmouth
Moderately long, rounded
Bass, Rock
Short, rounded
Pigment Pattern on Sides and Soft Dorsal Fin
Sunfish, Longear
Sides dark bluish-olive, with solid color or light irregular spots or blotches/mottling; fin solid or faint spots/mottling
Sunfish, Orangespotted
Sides blue or gray, with occasional irregular orange spots, faint diffuse vertical bars; fin solid or faint spots/mottling
Pumpkinseed
Sides olive or yellow-olive, with many irregular yellow-orange spots or blotches and sometimes faint vertical bars; fin solid or faint spots/mottling
Warmouth
Sides yellow-brown or olive with dark mottling, faint spots or faint bars; fin mottled and/or spotted
Bluegill
Sides dark or silver blue or bluish-olive, solid color or with dark vertical bars, sometimes fine irregular dark blue spots; fin solid, often with large diffuse spot at base
Sunfish, Green
Sides yellow or blue-green, with solid color, dark mottling, faint light spots or faint dark bars; fin dusky, spotted or with dark blotch at base
Bass, Rock
Sides brown solid color or with dark mottling or many indistinct spots; fin mottled and/or spotted
Other Characteristics
Bluegill
Opercular flap slightly elongated in large adults
Sunfish, Green
Rarely a few teeth on tongue
Sunfish, Longear
Opercular flap greatly elongated in adults
Sunfish, Orangespotted
Opercular flap often elongated in adults; large sensory pores above lip; 8-9 anal fin rays
Pumpkinseed
None
Warmouth
Well-developed supramaxillary bone; teeth on tongue
Bass, Rock
5-7 anal spines; 9-11 anal rays
Similarity Index
Bluegill
N/A
Sunfish, Green
Small juveniles very similar, adults moderately similar
Sunfish, Longear
Small juveniles very similar, adults moderately similar
Sunfish, Orangespotted
Small juveniles very similar, adults moderately similar
Pumpkinseed
Small juveniles very similar, adults moderately similar
Warmouth
Small juveniles very similar, adults moderately similar
Bass, Rock
Moderately similar
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Posted By: Bill Cody Re: What type of hybrid? - 02/07/23 10:20 PM
esshup - My vote is it looks like some of the old PS that I have seen as they become really old. Darker hue indicates clear water with maybe some brown stain. I vote that it is a male.
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