Identification Chart for Sunfish?

[Eight Thumbs]

Does anyone know of an internet site that has a good, clear identification chart for sunfish? It would also be helpful if the chart had the key identification points clearly marked with an arrow or something. ie. like an arrow going to the long "ear flap" on the Long Ear Sunfish. Just plain pictures don't seem to work very well since the colors can vary so greatly. Thanks in advance for your help. 8T

[Wes]

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwate...s/inland.phtml
http://www.landbigfish.com/fish/default.cfm

[maodiver]

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/pafish/fishhtms/chap22.htm
http://www.arkansasoutdoorsonline.com/arkansas-fish-identification
http://travis.uslakes.info/FishingChart.asp
http://conservation.mo.gov/fishing/fish-catch/fish-id/sunfish/crappie-identification

[Eight Thumbs]

Hi Wes and Maodiver,

Those are some great identification charts. Much thanks for your help. I decided that after years of fishing and calling every sunfish a "brim," it was time to start naming them correctly. 8T

[Steven McGarthwaite]

North American Continent Sunfish, all belong to a large group that, depending on the region are called; Bream, Brim, copper nose.

Botanically this genius is refereed to as...

Kingdom: Animalia (Animal)
Phylum: Chordata (Vertebrates)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-fin fish)
Order: Perciformes (Perch like in shape)
Family: Centrarchidae (Fliers)
Genus: Lepomis (genus name in larger family grouping)
Species: 12 species in the Lepomis genus, 4 subspecies.

L. auritus: Redbrest Sunfish
L. cyanellus: Green Sunfish
L. gibbosus: Pumphinseed Sunfish
L. gulosus: Warmouth Sunfish
L. humilis: Orangespotted Sunfish
L. macrochirus: Bluegill Sunfish
L. macrochirus purpurescens: Florida Bluegill Sunfish
L. macrochirus ssp: Handpainted Bluegill Sunfish
L. marginatius: Dollar Sunfish
L. megalotis megalotis: Central Longear Sunfish
L. megalotis peltastes: Northern Longear Sunfish
L. megalotis ssp: Ox-bow Longear Sunfish
L. microlophus: Redear Sunfish
L. minatus: Redspotted Sunfish
L. punctatus: Spotted Sunfish
L. symmetricus: Banturn Sunfish

Black Bass also belong to the Centrarchidae Family, but they are a different Genus (Micropterus)

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepomis

[ol' blue]

Try this one:

http://www.tnfish.org/FishIdentifica...cation_Key.htm

[poke flyfisher]

Blue, I love the Tenn. chart because it uses photos of real fish. Sometimes the artist get carried away with their colors and their paintings can be misleading. I still have trouble differentiating Redear from Pumpkinseeds because of the red on both of their ears. I'm just glad noboyd on this topic used the word "sunperch."

[Eight Thumbs]

Hi Again Folks,

Steve, that's quite a family tree. I'm not sure that I'll be abl3 to manage all the subspecies but I will definitely try.

Ol' Blue, another great identification chart. I like that fact that it shows the same species with different degrees of color and markings. That's been part of my problem with this whole I identification thing. Much thanks to both of you 8T

Don't worry Pokefish, I won't use that evil word.

[MikieFinn]

You really do not need identification chart. Once skinned and fried they are all "delicious".

[Gigmaster]

There is really only two species.....big uns, and little uns...... They all taste the same.