3 species of longear sunfish, and possibly 6.

[Quillback]

OK species dudes, you've got more work.  According to my latest issue of Outdoor Oklahoma, there are now 3 different longear species.  There are potentially 3 more.  

Plains Longear

Redstripe Longear

Caddoan Longear

You can do a search on Bruce Bauer Longear  for some detailed info, that I didn't read because it was DNA analysis heavy, too heavy for me.

[Al Agnew]

It seems the freshwater fisheries world is in the throes of a "splitter" mentality these days.  I think we're up to 19 species of black bass at this point, or is it 13?  And now THREE species of smallmouth alone!

Fact is, fish are not the most mobile of critters, and are limited to what they can swim to; they can't go overland to breed with the population in the next river system.  So it stands to reason that there will be differences in widespread species like longears based upon which major river system they are in.  There are certainly some differences that can be seen if you have two side by side to compare.  And genetic studies bear it out to at least some extent.  I suspect that if the genetic studies are done of ANY widespread species that lives in several different major river systems, they will find significant genetic differences in different populations.  But is this enough to make them different species, or just different subspecies or strains?

[fishinwrench]

24 minutes ago, Al Agnew said:

And genetic studies bear it out to at least some extent.  I suspect that if the genetic studies are done of ANY widespread species that lives in several different major river systems, they will find significant genetic differences in different populations.  But is this enough to make them different species, or just different subspecies or strains?

What was the alleged reasoning behind making it illegal to move crawdads over the hill ?

[Quillback]

7 hours ago, Al Agnew said:

 

  But is this enough to make them different species, or just different subspecies or strains?

The little bit that I read about it, there is some sort of genetic threshold or parameters that have to be met to qualify as a different species.  I'm certainly not educated enough on the subject to make a call on it.  

[Gumboot]

Apologies in advance to Johnsfolly and Ham...

They're all bream.   

[tjm]

12 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

What was the alleged reasoning behind making it illegal to move crawdads over the hill ?

To prevent them becoming "mutts" like your fish. Call them species, strains, races, whatevers; the differences in populations of different watersheds may be significant in ways other than endogamy. At the very least it makes bigger numbers on a "life list" possible, more importantly one or more of the differences may be key to species survival in some habitats and becoming invasive in others.

[tjm]

Bream are a species of minnow that only lives in Europe.

[Gumboot]

8 minutes ago, tjm said:

Bream are a species of minnow that only lives in Europe.

You sir are incorrect.  They're all over the South.  Maybe it's the spelling throwing you off.  In MS many spell it "Brim".  Does that help?

[tjm]

Brim is the part of a hat that keeps the sun off your ears.

[Ham]

2 hours ago, Gumboot said:

Apologies in advance to Johnsfolly and Ham...

They're all bream.   

I see you trollin