Fish Species Associated with Collier County`s Artificial and Natural

Transcription

Fish Species Associated with Collier County`s Artificial and Natural
About This Presentation
• This presentation is meant to be a general reference for some of
the common fish species found on and near Collier County’s
artificial and natural reef systems. It is not meant to be an
exhaustive list.
• It is intended for recreational divers and spear fishermen, anglers,
educators, resource managers and/or anyone interested in
learning more about the biodiversity associated with our area’s
local reefs.
• Each slide has the fish’s scientific name, associated family, general
remarks about its presence on reefs (based on local staff
observations), and basic field identification tips, and size.
• For species that are typically targeted by fishermen, links to state and
federal (Gulf) fishing regulations are provided; This presentation is NOT
meant to be a substitute for regulations and individuals should consult the
appropriate regulatory agency for updated harvesting regulations.
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
Fish Species by Slide Number
Species
Slide
Number
Species
Slide
Number
Goliath grouper
4
Almaco jack
20
Red grouper
5
Gag grouper
6
Scamp grouper
7
Black grouper
8
Whitespoted soapfish
9
Belted sandfish
10
Sand perch
11
Mangrove snapper
12
Lane snapper
13
Yellowtail snapper
14
Tomtate
15
Porkfish
16
White grunt
17
Bluestriped grunt
18
Greater amberjack
19
Permit
Blue runner
Bar jack
Lookdown
Round scad
Sheepshead
Knobbed porgy
Pinfish
Cobia
Pearly razorfish
Hogfish
Slippery dick
Great barracuda
Cocoa damselfish
Threadfin herring
Scaled sardine
Blue angelfish
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
Species
Gray angelfish
Spotfin butterflyfish
Polka dot batfish
Fringed filefish
Spotfin jawfish
Yellowhead jawfish
Lined seahorse
Whitenose pipefish
Bandtail pufferfish
Common snook
Atlantic spadefish
Blue goby
Tiger goby
Seaweed blenny
Gray triggerfish
Gulf flounder
Sharksucker
Sand diver
Cubbyu
Slide
Number
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
Species
Slide
Number
Jackknife fish
57
Gulf toadfish
58
Bermuda/Yellow
Chub
59
Southern stingray
60
Nurse shark
61
Lionfish
62
Goliath Grouper: Epinephelus itajara
Family Serranidae
• Common on artificial reefs particularly
with overhangs and high structure
• Field Identification:
• Blotchy, often with broken bars
along body
• Round caudal fin
• Can reach over 6 feet in length
and 600 pounds
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
PROTECTED SPECIES
HARVEST PROHIBITED
Red Grouper: Epinephelus morio
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
Image credit: fsu.edu
Family Serranidae
• Common on low relief structures, solution holes
and natural hard bottom
• Field Identification:
• Reddish brown color
• Diffuse pale blotches and spots
• Juveniles have pale bluish borders on rear
dorsal, anal and caudal fins
• Can reach up to 3 feet in length
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Gag Grouper: Mycteroperca microlepis
Image credit: UF/IFAS
Image credit: Carol and Bob Cox
Family Serranidae
• Fairly common along natural and artificial
ledges and hard bottom
• Field Identification:
• Pale to dark gray or olive-gray
• Blotched markings give body a marbled
appearance
• Can reach 3 feet in length
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Scamp Grouper: Mycteroperca phenax
Family Serranidae
Image credits: NOAA
• Occasionally found on wrecks and ledges in
deeper waters
• Field Identification:
• Grayish brown with small close-set darker spots
• Corners of mouth yellow
• Caudal fin concave, unevenly serrated
• Can reach 2 feet in length
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Black Grouper: Mycteroperca bonaci
Family Serranidae
Image credit: reefguide.net
• Rare; occasionally seen in deeper waters near wrecks
and natural hardbottom environments
• Field Identification:
• Head and body grayish to dark brown with
grayish, brownish or reddish spots that blend into
streaks and rectangular chain-like patterns
• Colors can vary
Image credit: NOAA
• Can reach 4 feet in length
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Whitespotted Soapfish: Rypticus maculatus
Family Serranidae
Image credit:
http://www.museumsinthesea.com/index.htm
• Commonly found on artificial reefs and
natural ledges; usually found under ledges
and other structure
• Field Identification:
• Brownish with scattered white spots on
uppers sides of body
• Pale white band running between eyes to
upper portion of head
• Can reach up to 8 inches in length
Belted Sandfish: Serranus subligarius
Family Serranidae
• Commonly found on natural and artificial
reefs- one of the most common species
observed on local reefs
• Field Identification:
• Dark band through eye
• Large black blotch on anterior portion
of soft dorsal fin; merges with dark bar
below
• Abdomen white
Image credit: Kevin Bryant
• Can reach up to 4 inches in length
Sand Perch: Diplectrum formosum
Family Serranidae
• Commonly found along sandy
bottoms/edges of reefs
• Will often approach divers
• Field Identification:
• Wavy blue lines on head and body
• Dark spot on base of caudal fin
• Dark mid-lateral stripe from head to
caudal fin base
Image credits: Conor Goulding
• Can reach up to 1 foot in length
Mangrove/Gray Snapper: Lutjanus griseus
Family Lutjanidae
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
• Commonly seen on wrecks and other artificial
reefs (often in aggregations)
• Field Identification:
• Dark olive grayish green to gray dorsally;
Sides and ventral area paler.
• Darker colored band through eyes of smaller
individuals
• Can reach 2 feet in length
Image credit: Conor Goulding
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Lane Snapper: Lutjanus synagris
Family Lutjanidae
Image credit: Conor Goulding
• Fairly common on artificial and natural reefs
Image credit: NOAA
• Field Identification:
• Silvery pink to reddish dorsally and silvery below
• Narrow yellow stripes on head and side
• Dark spot below anterior portion of soft dorsal
fin (can be faint or absent)
• Can reach 2 feet in length
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Yellowtail Snapper: Ocyurus chrysurus
Family Lutjanidae
Image credits: NOAA
• Occasionally seen on natural and artificial reefs
• Field Identification:
• Bright to dusky yellow stripe from snout to
caudal fin
• Dorsal fin yellow
• Yellow spots near dorsal fins
• Can reach over 2 feet in length
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Tomtate: Haemulon aurolineatum
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
Family Haemulidae
• One of the most common fish observed
on Collier County’s reefs; often in schools
• Field Identification:
• Silvery white with 2 yellowish to black
stripes on body
• Black blotch on base of caudal fin
• Can reach 10 inches in length
Porkfish: Anisotremus virginicus
Family Haemulidae
• Commonly seen on artificial and natural reefs
Image credit: http://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/pages
• Field Identification:
• Body with alternating silvery white and
yellow stripes
• Two black bands on head
• All fins yellow
• Juveniles with two black stripes along
body and black dot on the base of the
caudal fin
• Can reach 15 inches in length
Juvenile
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
White Grunt: Haemulon plumierii
Family Haemulidae
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
• Commonly seen on natural and artificial reefs
• Field Identification:
• Head with narrow blue wavy lines
• Scales on upper body with silvery blue
centers and yellow to bronze margins
• Abdomen silvery white
• Can reach 17 inches in length
Blue Striped Grunt: Haemulon sciurus
Family Haemulidae
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
• Occasional on natural and artificial reefs
• Field Identification:
• Head and body yellow to bronze with
blue wavy lines along body
• Inner portion of soft dorsal and
caudal fin black
• Anal, pelvic and pectoral fins
yellowish
• Can reach 17 inches in length
Greater Amberjack: Seriola dumerili
Family Carangidae
• Fairly common on deeper wrecks and high relief
reefs; usually in schools
• Field Identification:
• Blueish brown to olive dorsally, often with
pinkish luster on side; silvery below
• Body elongate; comparatively shallow
• Dark band from eyes to first dorsal-fin origin
• Can reach over 3 feet in length
Image credits: NOAA
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Almaco Jack: Seriola rivoliana
Family Carangidae
• Fairly common on deeper water wrecks
and reefs
• Field Identification:
• Brown/olive to blueish green
dorsally and paler below
• Faint band from eye to nape
• Comparatively deep body
• First dorsal and anal fin lobe
elongated
Image credit: NOAA
• Can reach over 2 feet in length
Permit: Trachinotus falcatus
Family Carangidae
• Occasionally on wrecks/reefs especially with
higher relief
• Field Identification:
• Silvery with metallic blueish to greenish
sheen
• Abdomen silvery often with golden areas
• May have large gray to black smudge on sides
• Can reach 2.5 feet in length
Image credit: Marin Dick
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Blue Runner: Caranx crysos
Family Carangidae
Image credit: NOAA
• Common species on local reefs;
usually above reefs in water column
• Field Identification:
• Shades of blue to green dorsally
with metallic sheen
• Tips of caudal fin lobes black
• Can reach over 2 feet in length
Image credit: Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Program
Bar jack: Caranx ruber
Family Carangidae
Image credit: NOAA
• Common on wrecks and reefs; found in
open water column- often in schools
• Field Identification:
• Pale grayish blue above; silvery below
• Blackish band overlays silvery blue band
along dorsal profile through caudal
peduncle to lower caudal fin lobe
• Can reach up to 22 inches in length
Lookdown: Selene vomer
Family Carangidae
• Occasionally seen on wrecks and reefs;
especially with high relief; often in
schools
• Field Identification:
• Silvery white with metallic blueish to
yellowish sheen
• May have silvery bars on body
• Anterior profile of head very steep;
body very deep
• First dorsal fin spines elongated
Image credit: Katie Laakkonen
• Can reach 12 inches in length
Round Scad: Decapterus punctatus
Family Carangidae
• Common bait fish often found in large schools
above reefs
• Field Identification:
• Blueish to greenish dorsally; silvery to
whitish below
• Small blacks spot on opercular margin
• Yellowish stripe on body midline with black
spots on curved portion of lateral line
• Yellowish caudal fin
www..discoverlife.org
Image credit: Conor Goulding
• Can reach 9 inches in length
Sheepshead: Archosargus probatocephalus
Image credit: mentalblock_DMD; Flickr
Family Sparidae
• Commonly seen on artificial and natural reefs
• Field Identification:
• Five to six blackish to brown bars on body
• Head and fins grayish to dusky
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
• Can reach over 2 feet in length
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Knobbed Porgy: Calamus nodosus
Family Sparidae
Image credit: NOAA
• Occasionally seen on natural and artificial
reefs in deeper waters
• Field Identification:
• Body deep; front profile very steep
• Body is generally silvery, with a rosy cast
• Cheek and snout are dark purplish gray,
with many bronze spots
• Large blue spot at axil of pectoral fin
• Can reach 20 inches in length
Pinfish: Lagodon rhomboides
Family Sparidae
• Commonly seen on natural and
artificial reefs
• Field Identification:
• Body with alternating iridescent
blueish and yellowish to bronze
stripes that intersect grayish bars
• Black spot on lateral line origin
• Laterally compressed body
Image credit: Brian Gratwicke
• Can reach over 12 inches in length
Cobia: Rachycentron canadum
Family Rachycentridae
Image credits: Conor Goulding
• Occasionally seen on wrecks and reefs, especially
with high relief structure; pelagic
• Field Identification:
• Dark brown dorsally on both sides and whitish
below
• Dorsal, caudal and pectoral fins typically brown,
but can have white color on them
• Snout broad with a compressed head
• Can reach over 4 feet in length
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Pearly Razorfish: Xyrichtys novacula
Family Labridae
• Occasionally seen on sandy open areas
adjacent to reefs
• Burrows into sand to avoid predators
• Field Identification:
• Distinct pearly patch on abdomen
• Females-pearly pinkish, orangish to
white with bright blue lines on head
• Males-pearly greenish yellow with
bright blue lines on head
Image credit: Conor Goulding
• Can reach 8.5 inches in length
Hogfish: Lachnolaimus maximus
Family Labridae
Image credit: Conor Goulding
• Occasionally seen on artificial reefs; more
common on natural reefs
Image credit: reefguide.org
• Field Identification:
• First three dorsal spines long
• Black blotch near end of dorsal fin
• Dusky to dark area covering snout and
nape to dorsal fin
• Can reach over 2 feet in length
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Slippery Dick: Halichoeres bivittatus
Family Labridae
• Occasionally seen on local artificial and
natural reefs
Image credit: John White
• Field Identification:
• Colors and markings can vary considerably
ranging from shades of green to medium
brown
• Small green and yellow bicolored spot
above pectoral fin
• Darkish to black midbody stripe; a second
lower stripe is less distinct
• Can reach up to 9 inches in length
Great Barracuda: Sphyraena barracuda
Family Sphyraenidae
• Occasionally seen on deeper wrecks and
sites with structure; often hang out in the
water column
• Field Identification:
• Blueish gray to gray dorsally; silvery
below
• Upper sides with oblique bars
• Lower sides with few to many variablesized blotches
Image credit: NOAA
• Can reach over 4 feet in length
Cocoa Damselfish: Stegaste variabilis
Family Pomacentridae
Image credit: Jeremy Sterk
Image credit: NOAA
• Commonly seen on local reefs and wrecks
Juvenile
• Field Identification:
• Dark bluish brown to greenish brown dorsally,
yellow below.
• May have blue spots on head
• Pectoral fins yellow
• Dark spot on base of tail
• Juveniles dusky blue on upper head and body,
yellow below; blue spots on head
• Can reach 5 inches in length
Juvenile
Atlantic Threadfin Herring: Opisthonema oglinum
Family Clupeidae
• Commonly seen schooling over inshore reefs
Image credit: Fish Geen via Flikr
• Field Identification:
• Prolonged dorsal ray trails from dorsal fin
• Blue dorsally and on upper sides; silvery
below
• Dark spot behind gill; may be followed by
row of smaller spots
• Dorsal and caudal fin tipped black
• Body moderately deep and compressed
Image credit: Mickey Charteris
• Can reach 12 inches in length
Scaled Sardine: Harengula jaguana
Family Clupeidae
Image credit: Katie Laakkonen
• Commonly seen schooling over inshore reefs
• Field Identification:
• Blueish gray/black or brownish dorsally
with faint streaks along side
• Sides and ventral area silvery
• Small, faint spot behind gills
• Body is compressed and moderately
deep
• Can reach 7 inches in length
Blue Angelfish: Holacanthus bermudensis
Family: Pomacanthidae
Image credit: NOAA
• Occasionally seen on natural and
artificial reefs
Juvenile
• Field Identification:
• Purplish to blue-green often with
pronounced gray cast
• Ventral fins yellow
• Tail and pectoral fins bordered in
yellow
• Can reach up to 18 inches in length
Gray Angelfish: Pomacanthus arcuatus
Family: Pomacanthidae
• Occasionally seen on artificial and natural
reefs
Intermediate phase
• Field Identification:
• Uniformly gray with light edge scales
• Yellow edge on pectoral fin
• Square-cut tail with white to
transparent margin
• Intermediate with pale body bars
• Can reach 2 feet in length
Spotfin Butterflyfish: Chaetodon ocellatus
Family Chaetonontidae
• Occasionally seen on artificial and natural reefs
• Field Description:
• Silver-white with black bar on head that
runs across eye
• All fins except pectoral bright yellow
• Black dot on outer edge of rear dorsal fin
• Can reach 8 inches in length
Image credit: Jeremy Sterk
Polka Dot Batfish: Ogcocephalus cubifrons
Family Ogcocephalidae
• Fairly common on sandy areas adjacent to reefs;
often motionless on the bottom
• Field Marks:
• Light colored body and fins covered with
dark dots
• Some dots join; others outlined in white
• Pectoral fins may be bordered in yellow
• Can reach 15 inches in length
Image credits: Bryan Fluech
Fringed Filefish: Monacanthus ciliatus
Family Monacanthidae
Image credit: Katie Laakkonen
• Occasionally seen in areas adjacent to reefs
near sponges or other structures
• Field Identification:
• Highly variable-pale to dark green or
tannish to brown
• Body variably marked with combination of
pale and dark spots, lines and blotches
• Snout somewhat upturned
• Can reach 8 inches in length
Spotfin jawfish: Opistognathus robinsi
Family Opistognathidae
• Occasionally seen along sandy/ shell rubble
bottoms; uses mouth to excavate and
maintain burrow
Image credit: Katie Laakkonen
• Field Identification:
• Head brownish with paler spots and
mottling
• Body brownish with pale blotches
arranged in uneven rows on side
• Prominent oscellated black spot between
third and seventh dorsal-fin spine
• Can reach 6 inches in length
Image credit: Jeremy Sterk
Yellowhead Jawfish: Opistognathus aurifrons
Family Opistognathidae
Image credit: NOAA
• Occasionally seen in sandy/shell rubble
substrates adjacent to reefs; uses mouth
to excavate and maintain burrows
• Field Identification:
• Bright to pale yellow head
• Body fades to pearly bluish to tannish
• Pair of black spots on chin
• Can reach 4 inches in length
Lined Seahorse: Hippcampus erectus
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
Image credit: Kevin Bryant
Family Syngnathidae
• Cryptic, occasionally seen associated with
sponges/ soft coral or other structures along reefs
• Field Identification:
• Numerous lines on head and often down neck
and back
• Vary from reddish orange to brownish/ blackcolors can vary depending on background
• Can reach up to 6 inches in length
Whitenose Pipefish: Cosmocampus albirostris
Family Syngnathidae
Image credits: Katie Laakkonen and Connor Goulding
• Uncommon: seen along sandy/ shell rubble
bottoms adjacent to reefs
• Field Identification:
• Grayish to brownish/red or whitish with
broad diffuse bars on body.
• Snout long and whitish
• Can reach 8 inches in length
Bandtail Pufferfish: Sphoeroides spengleri
Family Tetrodontidae
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
Image credit: NOAA
• Commonly seen on natural and artificial reefs
• Field Identification:
• Usually dark brown dorsally, becoming
paler on sides
• May be tannish with pale and dark molting
or dark blackish brown with pale mottling
• Distinct row , large dark spots from chin to
caudal peduncle
• Can reach 7 inches in length
Common Snook: Centropomus undecimalis
Family Centropomidae
Image source: marinebio.org
• Occasionally seen on artificial and natural reefs
• Field Identification:
• Yellow brown to brownish green above;
silvery on sides and below
• Distinct lateral line
• Fins dusky to yellowish
Image credit: FWC
• Can reach over 4 feet in length
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Atlantic Spadefish: Chaetodipterus faber
Family Ephippidae
• Commonly seen swimming in schools
above, near reefs
• Field Identification:
• Silvery with broad, brownish gray,
or brownish to blackish bars on
body; bars may be absent in
larger adults
• Snout very short, small mouth
• Can reach 3 feet in length
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
Blue Goby: Ptereleotris (Ioglossus) calliuris
Family Gobiidae
Image credits: NOAA
• Occasionally seen adjacent to offshore
natural and artificial reefs
• Field Identification:
• Blueish gray to lavender in color
• Narrow black to red sub-marginal
stripe on dorsal fin
• Pointed caudal fin
• Can reach up to 5 inches in length
Tiger Goby: Elacatinus marcrodon
Family Gobiidae
• Cryptic; occasionally found in and
around structure on natural and
artificial reefs
• Field Identification
• Translucent
• Narrow, dark blackish brown stripes
on head and body
• Can reach up to 2.5 inches in length
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
Seaweed Blenny: Parablennius marmoreus
Family Blenniidae
Image Credits: NOAA
• Cryptic: often found hiding among sponges, corals
and other structure
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
• Field Identification:
• Markings and colors vary greatly; usually earth
tones but can be bright yellow to gold
• Series of dark spots often form broken stripes
down body; stripe from eye to tail usually widest
and darkest
• Pale blue vertical line markings (occasionally
net-like) down snout, over upper lip and below
eyes
• Can reach up to 3 inches in length
Gray Triggerfish: Balistes capriscus
Family Balistidae
• Occasionally seen on artificial and natural reefs
• Field Identification:
• Blue spots and line markings on upper body and
fins
• Color varies from light gray to olive-gray
• Often has white dots and lines on lower body/fins
• May have faint broad bars or blotches on upper
body
• Can reach over 1 foot in length
Image Credit: NOAA
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Gulf Flounder: Paralichthys albigutta
Family Bothidae
• Occasionally seen adjacent to reefs in
sandy/muddy substrates; excellent
camouflage
• Field Identification:
• Pale to dark brown in color-can change
to match surroundings
• 3 ocellated spots on body
• Can reach 2 feet in length
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Sharksucker: Echeneis naucrates
Image credit: NOAA
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
Family Echeneidae
• Often seen swimming with goliath grouper
and other large fish
• Field Identification:
• disk shape sucker on top of head
• Dark bluish to brownish gray above
• Dark stripe from mouth to caudal fin
base; bordered above and below by
whitish stripe (stripe confined to head in
large adults)
• Thin white boarders on dark tail
• Can reach 3 feet in length
Sand Diver: Synodus intermedius
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
Image source: cs.brown.edu
Family Synodontidae
• Commonly seen on natural and artificial
reefs; often resting on structure; wellcamouflaged
• Field Identification:
• Reddish brown across back; often show
diamond-shaped patches on sides
• Dark spot at upper end of gill cover
• Thin yellow-gold stripes on body
• Can reach 18 inches in length
Cubbyu: Equetus umbrosus
Family Sciaenidae
Image credit: NOAA
• Commonly seen on natural and artificial reefs;
often near or under structure
• Field Identification
• Dark brownish gray to black; thin indistinct
body stripes
• Juveniles black and white striped with
black oval marking between eyes
• Can reach up to 10 inches in length
juvenile
Image credit Bryan Fluech
Image credit: NOAA
Jacknife Fish: Equetus lanceolatus
Family Sciaenidae
Image source: NOAA Image credit Frank and Joyce Burek
• Occasionally seen on wrecks and artificial reefs
• Field Identification:
• Elongated dorsal fin
• Black and white bars on head
• Single black band from top from front of
dorsal fin to and along mid-body line to tip
of tail
• Young individuals are yellow-gold. Colors
can fade with maturity
• Can reach up to 9 inches in length
Juveniles
Gulf Toadfish: Opsanus beta
Family Batrachoididae
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
• Occasionally seen on and adjacent to reefs;
particularly in shelly, lose substrates
• Field Identification:
• Brown diagonal bands on dorsal and anal fins
• Pale areas on body for rosettes, especially
towards rear
• Mottled and marbled in shades of brown;
can change colors to match surroundings
• Fleshy tabs below lip on lower jaw
• Can reach up to 1 foot in length
Image source: http://biogeodb.stri.si.edu
Bermuda/Yellow Chub*: Kyphosus sectatrix/incisor
Family Kyphosidae
• Occasionally seen on artificial reefs, particularly
those with high profiles
Image credit: NOAA
*Distinguishing between Bermuda and Yellow chub in the field
is difficult, which is why both names are listed
• Field Identification:
• Gray to silver in color
• “football-shaped” body
• Thin yellow to bronze stripes on body and a
stripe bordered in white under eye from mouth
to gill cover
• Occasionally seen with white blotches on sides
• Can reach 2 feet in length
Southern stingray: Dasyatis americana
Family Dasyatidae
• Commonly seen adjacent to reefs along
sandy bottom
• Field Identification
• Snout and tips of wings are pointed
• Dorsally brown to gray and black and
white underneath
• Caution: One or two venomous spines on
whip-like tail:
• Can reach 6 feet in length (from snout to tail)
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
Nurse Shark: Ginglymostoma cirratum
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
Image credit: NOAA
Family Rhincodontidae
• Most common shark seen on local reefs: often
rests adjacent to or under structures/ledges
• Field Identification:
• Two barbels on upper lip
• Two dorsal fins, nearly of equal size and are
set far back
• Small mouth
• Can reach 14 feet in length
• Regulated species
• State regulations
• Federal regulations
Red Lionfish: Pterois volitans
Family Scorpaenidae
Image credit: NOAA
Image credit: Jeremy Sterk
• Becoming increasingly common on local
natural and artificial reefs
• Invasive Non-Native Species
• Field Identification:
• Head and body with alternating reddish
brown and whitish bars
• Spiny dorsal fin and pectoral fins banded
• Fleshy tabs above eyes and around mouth
• Caution: Venomous spines along dorsal,
pelvic and anal fins
• Can reach up to 20 inches in length
References:
• Human, Paul & Deloach, Ned. Reef Fish
Identification. 1991. Florida Caribbean
Bahamas. 2nd Edition. New World
Publications, Inc. Jacksonville, FL.
• Kells, Val & Carptenter, Kent. 2011. A
Field Guide to Coastal Fishes from
Maine to Texas. The John Hopkins
University Press. Baltimore, Md.
Image credit: Bryan Fluech
Bryan Fluech
UF/IFAS County Extension
Director/Florida Sea Grant
Agent-Collier County
239-252-4800
[email protected]
The Extension Service is an off-campus branch of the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and department with the Public Services Department of Collier County Government.
Extension programs are open to all persons without regard to race, color, creed, sex, age, handicap, or national origin. In compliance with ADA requirements, participants with special needs can be
reasonably accommodated by contacting the Extension Service at least 10 working days prior to the meeting. Contact Extension at (239) 252-4800 or by fax at (239) 252-4822