Bass

[Buzz Wing]

WTL's describing of the Shoal Bass got me to thinking:

What makes a bass, a bass?

WTL stated that the Shoal Bass has no hybridizing or crossing of bass species, but is its own species. It is called a bass, but technically is not one of the five black bass species, (Largemouth, Smallmouth, Spotted, Guadalupe, and Suwanee).

So...

What makes our five black bass, bass?

[senko]

Just to mix it up a little, what we call "bass" aren't really bass.
(Taken from one of WTL's links to write ups)
'"black bass", including largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass, are not true bass at all but actually members of the sunfish family Centrarchidae."

[islandbass]

senko nailed it.

Just as with other things, the name bass stuck because we are familiar and accustomed to calling them bass. Another example is in golf. Back in the day, drivers were called "woods" and naturally so, because they were made from wood. But today, just I can't think of a Pro or amateur that doesn't player with a driver with a head not made of metal. Yet, people still call these clubs woods, but if they wanted to be technically correct or at the very least consistent, they should be calling them metals, e.g., my 1-metal driver or 5-fairway metal.

[WTL]

This whole thread is based on an incorrect premise, the Shoal bass is a black bass. There are 7 species currently recognized. Any other possible species out there are currently classified as 1 of the 7. Buzz needs to read more carefully and start threads more judiciously.

What makes a bass is what makes any other species. Its a system of scientific classification.

[Buzz Wing]

WTL,

When I went back and read it, I realized I made a mistake.
Now I know it has to do with the family, genus, etc... I was wondering what characterisitics makes bass bass though.

For example, if somebody found a new species of fish, what would that fish have to exhibit to scientifically be called a bass.

[fishin' fool]

Well technically if a new species of fish was found it couldn't be called a "bass" because this is already a family of fish.... But i know what you mean....
Any ways, what makes a fish or any animal related to one another is, they share genetic characteristics and they are capable of interbreeding, that makes a species a species. But physical characteristics that would make a bass... a bass would be: Its body form and shape. Black bass are known as rover predators, some what lie and wait, ambush but also make short bursts for chasing prey. A nother key I.D. key would be its mouth size, a large or larger mouth compared to its body size. Eyes that are its main senesory organ that are positioned up farther on its head. These characteristics are pretty much make a bass a bass.

[Buzz Wing]

Thanks fool. Exactly what I was lookin' for!