COBIA (ling) – Rachycentron canadum
Family Rachycentridae, COBIA Description: long, slim fish with broad depressed head; lower jaw projects past upper jaw; dark lateral stripe extends through eye to tail; first dorsal fin comprised of 7 to 9 free spines; when young, has conspicuous alternating black and white horizontal stripes. Similar fish: remora, Eceneis naucrates. Where found: both INSHORE and […]
BLUEFISH – Pomatomus saltatrix
Family Pomatomidae, BLUEFISHES Description: color blue or greenish blue on back, sides silvery; mouth large; teeth prominent, sharp, and compressed; dorsal and anal fins nearly the same size; scales small; lateral line almost straight. Similar fish: blue runner, C. crysos. Where found: young usually INSHORE spring and summer, moving OFFSHORE to join adults fall and […]
SAND PERCH – Diplectrum formosum
Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER Description: body and dorsal fins with many dark brown bars and alternating orange and blue horizontal lines; head with many blue lines; preopercular spines very well developed; grouped in 2 radiating clusters with a deep notch between them; upper lobe of caudal fin prolonged in adults. Size: to 30 […]
WARSAW GROUPER – Epinephelus nigritus
Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER Description: uniformly dark brown, with no distinctive 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: caudal fin yellow; dark saddle on caudal peduncle; some whitish spots on body. Size: to 1.8 m (6 […]
YELLOWMOUTH GROUPER – Mycteroperca interstitialis
Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER Description: color tan or brown with darker spots; spots, or a network of spots, fused into lines; distinct yellow wash behind the jaws; yellow around the eyes; outer edges of fins yellowish. Similar fish: scamp, M. phenax. Where found: OFFSHORE over reefs and rocks; not as common as scamp […]
YELLOWFIN GROUPER – Mycteroperca venenosa
Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER Description: color highly greenish olive or bright red with longitudinal rows or darker black blotches over entire fish; outer one-third of pectoral fins bright yellow; lower parts of larger fish with small bright red spots. Similar fish: black grouper, M. bonaci; other grouper. Where found: OFFSHORE Size: common to […]
SCAMP – Mycteroperca phenax
Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER Description: color light gray or brown; large adults with elongated caudal-fin rays; reddish-brown spots on sides that tend to be grouped into lines; some yellow around corners of mouth. Similar fish: yellowmouth grouper, M. interstitalis. Where found: NEARSHORE reefs off the northeastern coast, and on OFFSHORE reefs in the […]
RED GROUPER – Epinephelus morio
Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER Description: color brownish red; lining of mouth scarletorange; blotches on sides in unorganized pattern; second spine of dorsal fin longer than others; pectoral fins longer than pelvic fins; squaredoff tail; margin of soft dorsal black with white at midfin; black dots around the eyes. Similar fish: nassau grouper, E. […]
NASSAU GROUPER – Epinephelus striatus
Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER Description: color light background with brown or red-brown bars on sides; stripe in shape of tuning fork on forehead; third spine of dorsal longer than second; pelvic fins shorter than pectorals; lack dots around the eyes; large black saddle on caudal peduncle. Similar fish: red grouper, E. morio. Where […]
BLACK GROUPER – Mycteroperca bonaci
Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER Description: olive or gray body coloration with black blotches and brassy spots; gently rounded preopercle; (see gag, next page) Similar fish: gag, M. microlepis; yellowfin grouper, M. venenosa. Where found: OFFSHORE species; adults associated with rocky bottoms, reefs, and dropoff walls in water over 60 feet deep; young may […]