Thanks ewest! Sounds like there are multiple parimeters influencing color and appearence in the sunfish family.
One other thing that could influence color appearence is sexual maturation. I would expect an imature male to be lighter and more duller in appearence than a mature BG, and that a mature male BG would aslo be darker and exhibit more color. It seems reasonable that HBG would also follow these lines in terms of maturation.
