Download Florida Keys Fish ID Period 2 2014

Coral beauty – not native!! – substitute 4 eye butterfly fish
Flame Fish – not native – substitute Damsel
Florida Keys Fish ID
Marine Science
Period 3
Family: Serranidae
Etymology: Latin, serranus = derived from saw, fish saw
•Lateral line complete and
continuous, not reaching onto
caudal fin
•Operculum bearing 3 spines
• Caudal fin usually rounded,
truncate, or lunate; rarely
forked
•Most are protogynous
hermaphrodites,
•Bottom-dwelling predators
that feed on crustaceans and
fishes
Red Grouper
Epinephelus morio
Warsaw Grouper
uniformly dark brown,
with no distinct markings;
dorsal fin with 10 spines;
second spine very long
(much longer than third);
caudal fin squared-off;
rear nostril larger than
front nostril; young have
yellow caudal fin with
dark saddle on caudal
peduncle; some whitish
spots on body
Epinephelus nigritus
Black Grouper
Mycteroperca bonaci
www.pbase.com/elif/image/30830214
Family Coryphaenidae Dolphinfishes
• Slender fishes with compressed head and
body.
• The single dorsal fin originates on the head
and extends over nearly the full length of the
body. No spines;
• Deeply forked caudal fin.
• Forehead steep and high in adult males. Live
specimens with exceedingly beautiful colors.
Dolphin
Coryphaena hippurus
Family: Labridae - Wrasses
Etymology: Latin, labrum = lip or edge
•Most jaw teeth with gaps between them;
teeth usually jutting outward
•Lateral line interrupted or continuous.
•Most species are sand burrowers;
carnivores on benthic invertebrates; also
planktivores, and some small species
remove parasites from larger fishes
•Most species change color and sex with
growth, from an initial phase of both males
and females, the latter able to change sex
into an often brilliantly colored terminal
male phase
Hogfish
Lachnolaimus maximus
Family: Lutjanidae - Snappers
Etymology: Malay, ikan lutjan, name of a fish
•Dorsal fin continuous or slightly
notched
•Pelvic fins originating just behind
pectoral base
•Mouth terminal, Jaws bearing
enlarged canine teeth
•Most species are predators of
crustaceans and fishes, several are
planktivores
Yellowtail Snapper
Ocyurus chrysurus
Mutton Snapper
Lutjanus analis
Cubera Snapper
Lutjanus cyanopterus
Family: Carangidae - Jacks
Etymology: French, carangue = name of fish given in Caribe
•Body generally compressed though
some are fusiform
•Scales along lateral line often modified
into spiny scutes
•Large juveniles and adults with 2 dorsal
fins
•Anterior dorsal fin with 3-9 spines; the
second having 1 spine and usually 18-37
soft rays
•Widely forked caudal fin
•Caudal peduncle slender
•Fast swimming predators of the waters
above the reef and in the open sea
• Some root in sand for invertebrates and
fishes
Permit
Trachinotus falcatus
Palometa
Trachinotus goodei
Rachycentridae
- Cobia Family
Rachycentron canadum
Scorpaenidae- Scorpionfish
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found in all tropical and temperate seas.
Body compressed
head usually with ridges and spines;
Usually 1 dorsal fin, often notched.
Dorsal, anal, and pelvic spines can bear venom
gland.
• The family contains the world's most
venomous fishes, many of them brightly
colored. Most species live on or near the
bottom and feed on crustaceans or fishes
Red Lion Fish
Pterois volitans
Sphyraenidae - Barracudas
• Elongated body.
• Large-mouthed with the lower jaw projecting
forward bearing strong fanglike teeth. Upper
jaw non-protractile, an adaptation to feeding
on large prey.
• Well-developed lateral line. Position of
pectoral fins relatively low. Dorsal fins far
apart.
Great Barracuda
Sphyraena_barracuda
Family: Pomacanthidae – Angelfishes
Etymology: Greek, Poma- = operculum, acanth- = spine.
•Strongly compressed body
•Spine on preoperculum
•Caudal fin rounded to strongly
lunate
•Typically diurnal
•Several species are protogynous
hermaphrodites
•Three basic feeding styles:
predation on sessile
invertebrates, herbivory and
planktivory
Rock Beauty
Holacanthus tricolor
Family: Chaetodontidae
–Butterfly Fishes
Entomology: Greek, Chaet- = bristle, odont- = tooth
•Highly compressed body.
•Dorsal fin continuous, with 6-16 spines and
15-30 soft rays
•Caudal fin with 15 branched rays, usually
rounded
•Scales extend onto dorsal fins
•Mouth small, terminal with a band or rows of
small brushlike teeth
•Typically diurnal
•Many feed on a combination of coral polyps
or jellyfish tentacles, small invertebrates, fish
eggs, and filamentous algae while others are
planktivores
•Most species occur as heterosexual pairs
Four-Eyed Butterfly Fish
Chaetodon capistratus
Family Istiophoridae - Billfishes
• Premaxilla and nasal bones produced, forming
a spear-like bill or rostrum with a rounded
cross-section. Bill used for stunning prey fish.
• Jaw teeth present.
• Two keels on each side of caudal peduncle in
adults.
• Dorsal fin extending over much of body
length; sometimes resembling a sail. Dorsal fin
can be depressed into a groove.
• Lateral line persists in life.
Atlantic Sailfish
Istiophorus albicans
Xiphiidae - Swordfish
Xiphias gladius
Megalopidae – Tarpon Family
• Fusiform, compressed body.
• Mouth terminal, oblique or superior, lower
jaw prominent,
• Single dorsal fin without spines
• Pectorals very low.
Megalops atlanticus
Tarpon
Holocentridae- Squirrelfish Family
• Dorsal fin long with 10-13 spines and a
notched soft-rayed part with 11-17 rays.
• Forked caudal fin;
• Large eyes.
• Spiny-edged operculum.
• Usually reddish in color.
• Most are nocturnal. Usually cryptic during the
day in crevices or beneath ledges of reefs,
along with cardinal fishes, bigeyes, and
sweepers.
Longspine Squirrelfish
Holocentrus rufus
Sciaenidae – Drum/Croaker Family
• found worldwide, in both fresh and salt water,
and are typically benthic carnivores, feeding
on crustaceans and smaller fish
• long dorsal fin reaching nearly to the tail
• mouth is set low and usually ventral
• croaking involves the beating of abdominal
muscles against the swim bladder
Jackknife Fish
Equetus lanceolatus
Syngnathidae
-Pipefishes & seahorses
• from Greek, syn meaning fused or together,
and gnathus meaning jaws.
• elongated snouts, fused jaws, absence of pelvid fins,
and thick plates of bony armor covering their bodies
• male fertilizes eggs and carries them during
incubation
– Male seahorses have a specialized ventral pouch to carry
the eggs,
– male sea dragons attach the eggs to their tails
– male pipefish may do either, depending on their species
Lined
Seahorse
Hippocampus
erectus
Scrawled Cowfish
Family Ostraciidae
Acanthostracion quadricornis
Porcupine Fish – Family Diodontidae
Diodon hystrix
Family: Pomacentridae – Damsel Fish
Etymology: Poma- = opercle, centron = spine, (refers to pointed
margin of opercle)
•Body usually deep and compressed
•Small mouth
•Incomplete and interrupted lateral line
•Many species are highly territorial
herbivores, omnivores, or planktivores.
•Lay elliptical demersal eggs that are
guarded by the males
•Included in this family are the
anemonefishes
Yellowtail Damsel
Microspathodon chrysurus
Whale shark – Family Rhincodontidae
Rhincodon typus