Morone in the Roanoke River, VA

Hello,

Not long ago I came across an odd looking Morone hybrid on the Roanoke River in Virginia. Here's a picture of the fish;


The fish has the body shape of a striped bass (Morone saxatilis) but the lateral stripes are uncharacteristic of this species. To illustrate my point, here's a picture of a typical striped bass at this size (it's the fish on the top - ignore the white bass below it.) ;


To confuse the matter even further, here's a picture of typical hybrid striped bass (Morone saxatilis x Morone chrysops) that are stocked in ponds near where I live;
Hybrid striped bass

So...I'm left scratching my head about the fish in my first picture. I'm not very familiar in the differences between "palmetto bass" and "sunshine bass". Could the differences between these two varieties of hybrid striped bass be what I'm seeing here?

Thanks for any, and all, input.

Edited by NateTessler13, 07 November 2011 - 12:34 AM.

Nate - where did you catch it in the Roanoke? above the three lower dams? I agree that it looks odd but most likely a funky looking hybrid. The ones I've seen look similar to your photo.

Fritz

Nate - where did you catch it in the Roanoke? above the three lower dams? I agree that it looks odd but most likely a funky looking hybrid. The ones I've seen look similar to your photo.

Fritz

Fritz, the fish was collected below the Leesville Dam.

I've asked a friend with VDGIF for any info he has on what they stock

His response:

Pretty little fish. We've had some talk of natural hybrids
in Buggs Island but without seeing the tooth patch it's hard to tell.
It really has a striper shape to it though. Cc'd another biologist for his
opinion. he manages Smith Mountain and Leesville. We do not stock
hybrids but do have a few white bass left in the system.

I assume that fish came through the dam but we did see more small
stripers (not that small though - probably 14-16 inches) in the river
this fall than I remember seeing before.

Has there ever been evidence of a saxitilis x americana hybrid? What's that look like? In these highly modified conditions, I could see white perch predating striper eggs, get excited, and shoot off some gametes. When Morone males are ready, it doesn't take anything to get the juice going.

Todd

Has there ever been evidence of a saxitilis x americana hybrid?
Todd

Not naturally, but these hybrids have been produced and stocked by several state DNRs: USGS NAS page

His response:

Pretty little fish. We've had some talk of natural hybrids
in Buggs Island but without seeing the tooth patch it's hard to tell.
It really has a striper shape to it though. Cc'd another biologist for his
opinion. he manages Smith Mountain and Leesville. We do not stock
hybrids but do have a few white bass left in the system.

I assume that fish came through the dam but we did see more small
stripers (not that small though - probably 14-16 inches) in the river
this fall than I remember seeing before.

Fritz, thanks for following up on this. I didn't think to photograph the tooth patch. Actually, I initially called this fish a striped bass when it was collected. I measured it, photographed it, and returned it to the water. Then, as I rummaged through the livewell some more, I saw the "normal" looking striped bass and I was like...wait a minute...

More to your friends second comment; we did find a good number of smaller striped bass (mostly the size pictured) right below the dam this summer. We probably caught more than 20 in the first pool downstream of the dam, and then picked up small schools of them throughout the next few holes downstream of the dam.

Has there ever been evidence of a saxitilis x americana hybrid? What's that look like? In these highly modified conditions, I could see white perch predating striper eggs, get excited, and shoot off some gametes. When Morone males are ready, it doesn't take anything to get the juice going.

Todd

That's an interesting thought. At the site we found M. saxatilis, chrysops, and americana. I'm going to look into that a bit more.

I've seen adult Striped Bass in Long Island Sound, with the same interrupted stripe pattern. Is that what has you considering that this might be a hybrid?

Not naturally, but these hybrids have been produced and stocked by several state DNRs: USGS NAS page

Haven't been able to come across much information about the species in a preliminary search. It doesn't seem like this hybrid is stocked anymore.

I've seen adult Striped Bass in Long Island Sound, with the same interrupted stripe pattern. Is that what has you considering that this might be a hybrid?

Yeah, although my encounters with striped bass are very limited, I thought a pure striped bass has uninterrupted lateral stripes. I would be interested in seeing photos of any of the adults with interrupted stripes. That would be an interesting comparison.

Edited by NateTessler13, 11 November 2011 - 10:08 AM.

It makes me wondered if the hybrid bass was caught in saltwater few years ago is actual a pure striper with interrupted stripe pattern?

Both Virigina fish biologists that I contacted (and work in the Roanoke) agree that its a striped bass (with funky stripes)

Both Virigina fish biologists that I contacted (and work in the Roanoke) agree that its a striped bass (with funky stripes)

Hmm...well, I guess the body shape wins out. Thanks for following up, Fritz. Even if it is just a striped bass, this thread has got me interested in learning about the Morone saxatilis x Morone americana hybrid.