This species belongs to the Micropterus coosae species group but differs from all species by the usual absence of a tongue tooth patch (absent in 82.9% of specimens vs. usually present in others, or absent in 34.5% or fewer), when present tooth patch is small (less than 1.0 mm). It can be further distinguished from M. tallapoosae and M. chattahoochae by having its scales width 2.6% SL (vs. 2.9%), 68-74 lateral-line scales (vs. 61-67), 29-30 scale rows around the caudal peduncle (vs. 26-28), and 96-103 total lateral-line plus caudal-peduncle scales (vs. 89-98); from M. chattahoochae by its nrrower head, postfrontal width 11.2% SL (vs. 11.8%); from M. coosae by lacking red fins and from M. tallapoosae and M. cahabae by having orange fin pigmentation on anal fin and often on posterior dorsal and ventral lobe of caudal fin; and from M. coosae by its head width 11.2% (vs. 11.0%) (Ref. 93229).