divebat
Registered
I was looking for a freshwater critters forum, but couldn't find one so I'm hoping this one will do.
I just dove Morrison and Vortex with my dive club this weekend. In both (but more seen in Morrison) there was a red-eyed sunfish with dark blotchy coloration. The blotches almosted formed a diamond or chain patern with the lighter spots. I did not bring my camera on this trip since I wanted to make sure I concentrated on other things and so did not get a picture of the critter.
Does anyone out there who knows their sunfishes have any idea what this could be? I also saw long-eared, bluegill, and LMB as well as the eels. All sighted specimens of the unknown were a nice size. It has some resemblance to a flier, but I can't find a truely definitive image that convinces me of that and I looked for and did not see a spot at the posterior end of the dorsal fin. Shape and coloration maybe matched a shadow bass (Amboplites ariommus) better, but still not quitre right, and shadow bass supposedly have a blue eye with a red ring. I remember these guys having a fully red eye. Too roundish for a warmouth. I wish I could have gotten one in the hand to look at better (ie see how big his mouth was!)
Everyone kept asking about it so I'm not the only one there who took note of this species. I figure other divers might have also noticed it and figured out what it was
I just dove Morrison and Vortex with my dive club this weekend. In both (but more seen in Morrison) there was a red-eyed sunfish with dark blotchy coloration. The blotches almosted formed a diamond or chain patern with the lighter spots. I did not bring my camera on this trip since I wanted to make sure I concentrated on other things and so did not get a picture of the critter.
Does anyone out there who knows their sunfishes have any idea what this could be? I also saw long-eared, bluegill, and LMB as well as the eels. All sighted specimens of the unknown were a nice size. It has some resemblance to a flier, but I can't find a truely definitive image that convinces me of that and I looked for and did not see a spot at the posterior end of the dorsal fin. Shape and coloration maybe matched a shadow bass (Amboplites ariommus) better, but still not quitre right, and shadow bass supposedly have a blue eye with a red ring. I remember these guys having a fully red eye. Too roundish for a warmouth. I wish I could have gotten one in the hand to look at better (ie see how big his mouth was!)
Everyone kept asking about it so I'm not the only one there who took note of this species. I figure other divers might have also noticed it and figured out what it was
