We tend to say Florida is its own breed. According to genetic research from Yale University, that is, in fact, true. For bass at least. Because of their findings, largemouth bass in the state are now officially named Florida bass according to a press release from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Largemouth bass renamed in Florida
So what’s the deal with the name change? Well, the research published with the scientific journal Nature titled “Phylogenomics and Species Delimitation of the Economically Important Black Basses” used advanced genetic analysis on bass throughout the eastern United States. The researchers found the bass in Florida were not largemouth from a genetic standpoint but instead their own distinct species.
Because of this, the American Fisheries Society has now established these former largemouth as Florida bass. According to the research, the range of Florida bass also extends into surrounding states including Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
With the differentiation comes not only new common names, but scientific ones as well. Largemouth bass, previously Micropterus salmoides, will now be the scientific name for Florida bass. Moving forward Largemouth bass are now Micropterus nigricans.
In an Orlando Sentinel news story, 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, shared of the research, “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.”
What this means for anglers
There is no cause for concern about what this research and name change means for slinging lures in the Sunshine State. Largemouth bass and Florida bass are visually indistinguishable, and Florida officials say nothing will change for anglers pursuing these fish. Just expect to see largemouth renamed to Florida bass in state regulations and communications moving forward.
