Two NEW Common Sunfishes: Reclaimed Status!

[@KNFishingSmarts]

I'll update the website guide as time goes by and I collect more information and images. Cheers!

[@CatfishWeekly]

Glad to see more quality information. So much knowledge!

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Thanks much for always having a good comment for KNFS vids!

[@aviancypress5181]

Crazy it’s already been 2 years since your last longear species video, I’ve been excited for longears in Texas video

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Right...time flies! I'll excited to catch some Longear in Texas soon.

[@mynameisnotcory]

Ive caught and pictured thousands of longears in the dfw area if you want any of the pictures!

[@flaviodesignaquariums1690]

Very interesting to know, love them all,beautiful fish.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Indeed. It's a cool genus.

[@wilecatrexy]

Sometimes sunfish cross with other species. Ive caught them before. Like a cross between a redear and bluegill.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Yup, most definitely they hybridize in this genus.

[@MrGrombie]

I personally don't mind hybrids. They tend to be bigger and have more vigor. Just an overall healthier fish usually.

[@mynameisnotcory]

Ive been telling people they were different fish for YEARS

[@theirishpickel4492]

Awesome video! Hope to see more of the longear complex split to species, along with Dollar sunfish hopefully one day

[@KirkDiet]

Great video! Glad to see/hear an explanation of this all. Although, I've got to say that your map for Louisiana is lacking a range in the New Orleans Metro area where I consistently catch what I used to think were "Longear" even though they look different from the ones I catch in the waters of the parishes on the north side of Lake Pontchartrain. The ones I'm catching in the brackish water marina of the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain and in the drainage canals of Jefferson Parish, also south shore look more like the L. aquilensis species. I will be glad to send you photos and/or take you fishing down here when you come for the conference next year. Regardless, thank you for your time.

[@TheFishingNomad]

Good video. All of this reminds me that taxonomy is as much an art as it is a science.

[@KNFishingSmarts]

I'll agree with that!

[@asisohrabi2325]

Nice work 🍀

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Thanks much, Asi!

[@michaelsmith7193]

Some fascinating news! I can’t help but wonder if someday someone might revisit the sunfish collections at the Smithsonian. In particular, I’ve always been intrigued about what modern genetic analysis might disclose about that long ago “species,” McKay’s sunfish (listed in Jordan & Evermann “The Fishes of North America”). In light of the diversity now recognized in the longear group, perhaps a fresh look may be in order?

[@KNFishingSmarts]

I looked back after reading your comment. The study analyzed DNA from a number of museum collections but not any from the Smithsonian. So, yeah, definitely potential to tap into some other old specimens.

[@matthewkruse5536]

Thanks for the quality explanation!

[@KNFishingSmarts]

My pleasure, Matthew.

[@CastBlastCamp]

Very cool info!

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Glad you think so!

[@donaldseigel4101]

Great job!

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Thanks, Donald!

[@axps6457]

Very informative thank you

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Glad you found it informative.

[@robertfaber6796]

Interesting

[@KNFishingSmarts]

Indeed

[@billcorpier7082]

Wichita is not pronounced as Wha cheetah. It is pronounced as Wash a taw as in Wichita KS. Wichita is not pronounced as Oh cheetah. It is pronounced as Oh ash a taw as in Ouachita MO or the native American tribe.

[@sarahlarson8226]

Very interesting! I wonder how climate change and drought affect splitting?