Florida Strain Largemouth Bass Now Identified as Unique Species: Florida Bass

Florida’s well-known freshwater game fish, the largemouth bass, found in various bodies of water across Florida, has recently been identified as a unique species, called the Florida bass. This announcement was made by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Genetic Analysis

The decision to identify the Florida bass as a new species is based on a Yale University research publication that used advanced genetic analysis. The American Fisheries Society established that the Florida bass is different from the more commonly found largemouth bass, whose habitat covers much of the U.S. territory, except for the Rocky Mountains. This research also extends the known range of the Florida bass, which includes not only Florida but other parts of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

The Importance of Recognizing Biodiversity

The separation and identification of the Florida bass as a unique species will help in better understanding its ecosystem. This knowledge will help in managing and conserving the Florida bass better. According to Thomas Near, professor and chair of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University and one of the three scientists who worked on the study, “The greater our understanding of the biodiversity, the more power we have to conserve that diversity and, in a sense, make it the economically important and rewarding recreational resource that it is”.

Scientific Naming of the Species

The scientific names for the species have now also changed. The previously used scientific name for the largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides, will now be used for the Florida bass species, according to the study. Largemouth bass will now be considered Micropterus nigricans.

Regulation Considerations

The main difference for anglers to be aware of with the identification of the Florida bass species and the largemouth bass species is the signage, messaging, and regulations. They are practically indistinguishable visually, and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission states that for regulatory purposes, the two species do not require any differentiation. They will be considered as the same species for regulations unless genetically tested for a precise identification of the species.

Possible Troubles with Hybridizing

The newly identified species, Florida bass, grows faster and is more aggressive and shares its habitat, Florida’s lakes and rivers, with the traditional largemouth bass. Exporting Florida bass to other parts of the country may lead to hybrization with the locally occurring largemouth bass, which causes biological conservation problems. Hybrids are not fit enough and viable as the original bass, and identifying unique species is essential to ensure more limited and better conservation practices of the Florida bass.

Future Conservation and Sustainable Use

The identification of the Florida bass species will help in managing and conserving this iconic game fish species better. In 1975, Florida legislature named the largemouth bass the official state freshwater fish. The establishment of the Florida bass as a unique species able to ensure its sustainable use for future generations. Not only that, it would aid in better conservation practices to save Florida’s natural aquatic resources.

Originally Post From https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2024/07/18/florida-bass-established-as-its-own-species-separate-from-popular-largemouth-bass/

Florida Bass! A distinct species segregated from the beloved Largemouth Bass