Groupers, Sea Basses and Soapfishes Flashcards
1
Q
A
Graysby Grouper
- ≤ 1 ft.
- Pale gray to dark brown
- 4 black or white spots along dorsal fin;
- evenly distributed and sized red spots throughout
- Round caudal
2
Q
A
Coney
- Usually ≤ 1 ft
- Color varies
- Blue spots;
- 2 black spots on lip
- 2 black spots on top of caudal peduncle
- Round caudal fin
2
Q
A
Speckled Hind
- Tan to brown
- Speckled with cream colored spots
- Pelvic fin blackish toward tip
- Up to 30 inches and 40 lbs
3
Q
A
Bank Sea Bass
- Head and pale areas have bluish cast
- 6-7 vertical dark bars
- Black rectangular blotch just below lateral line
- Caudal fin has three pointed lobes
- Confused with Rock Sea Bass - which has long tabs on dorsal spines
- Up to 1 ft.
4
Q
A
White spotted soapfish
- Very dark brown with paler cheeks
- small, defined white spots with black borders along upper back
- 2 (rarely 3) dorsal spines
- Up to 8 inches
5
Q
A
Longtail Bass
- Red above, silvery below
- Red head with wide yellow stripe from snout to opercle
- Slender body
- 3rd dorsal spine and longest pelvic ray is filamentous in large adults
6
Q
A
Gag Grouper
- Up to 50 lbs - usually smaller
- ‘kiss’ wormlike markings
- bony knob at corner of preopercle
6
Q
A
Warsaw Grouper
- Uniformly dark brown
- No distinctive markings
- 2nd dorsal spine much longer than 3rd
- Squared off caudal fin
- Whitish spots on younger fish
- Up to 6ft and 580 lbs
- 10 dorsal spines instead of 11
6
Q
A
Scamp Grouper
- Dark spots grouped in lines or blotches
- Broomlike caudal fin, tips of rays extend beyond fin membrane
- Confused with Yellowmouth Grouper; which have uniform tail length
- Up to 2 ft
7
Q
A
Tiger Grouper
- Gray, dark brown or blackish
- about 11 white diagonal bars
- Inside mouth is orangish
- Rear edge of pectoral fin is yellowish
8
Q
A
Nassau Grouper
- Dark brown wide stripe from snout tip through
- 4 -5 irregular dark bars
- Black dots around eye
- Tuning fork pattern on forehead
- Up to 55 lbs
8
Q
A
Rock Sea Bass
- Olive gray or brown
- Rusty spots on head
- Long fleshy tabs on dorsal spine
- Dark saddle on dorsal spine/back
- Confused with Bank Sea Bass
9
Q
A
Yellowmouth Grouper
- Mouth is yellow inside and at corners
- Caudal fin length is uniform
- 6 - 8 pale bars
- Dorsal and pectoral fins have narrow yellow edges
- Confused with scamp
10
Q
A
Marbled Grouper
- Dark brown with large white blotches, edged with a row of dark black spots
- Deep body - small head
- Up to 20 lbs
11
Q
A
Misty Grouper
- 8 -9 sloping dark bands on body
- 3 dark bands sloping downwards from eye
- Young have a black saddle on caudal peduncle
- Up to 120 lbs
12
Q
A
Black Sea Bass
- Bluish black to dark brown
- narrow stripes of pale scales
- Dorsal, anal and caudal fin edges are white
- Up to 2 ft and 8 lbs
14
Q
A
Black Grouper
- Up to 180 lbs
- Color variable
- Dark rectangular blotches; Chain pattern on body
- Small hexogonal bronze spots on head
- Borders of fins are black or bluish
- Squared off caudal fin
16
Q
A
Red Hind
- ≤ 2 ft; usually less than 15 in
- Reddish brown evenly distributed and sized pure red spots throughout
- Outer part of caudal anal and dorsal fins are dark
- Confused with Rock hind
17
Q
A
Yellowedge Grouper
- Pale gray, tan
- Bright yellow eyes
- Dorsal, perctoral and anal fins yellow outer edges
- Up to 30 inches
17
Q
A
Spanish flag
- Yellow with 6 salmon colored horizontal stripes
- Dark red spot on anal fin
- Up to 1 ft
20
Q
A
Snowy Grouper
- Dark gray
- White spots
- Up to 3 ft and 30 lbs
- Yellow caudal fin
- Black saddle on peduncle
21
Q
A
Streamer Bass
- Pale red body, yellow-edged scales
- dorsal, caudal anal fins yellowish
- 3 golden stripes from eye to midbody
- large eye
- filamentous caudal fins in adults
- up to 1 ft.
22
Q
A
Jewfish (Goliath Grouper)
- ≤ 1,000 lbs
- Tan
- Black spots with 4-5 irregular bands
- Round caudal
23
Q
A
Yellowfin Grouper
- Body color variable
- Outer third of pectoral fin bright yellow
- dark round blotches throughout
24
Q
A
Red Grouper
- Up to 3.5 ft and 50 lbs
- Dark brown, reddish cast
- Mouth lining reddish to scarlet
- Small black spots around the eye
- Fins have narrow white edges
- Blotchy with poorly defined pale areas
26
Q
A
Sand Perch
- Dark brown bars
- Alternating orange and blue horizontal lines
- Head has lots of blue lines
- Up to 1 ft.
27
Q
A
Mutton Hamlet
- Orange red to brown
- Irregular dusky bands across body
- 3 Short dark stripes from eye to opercle
- Up to 1 ft
28
Q
A
Rock Hind
- ≤ 2 ft
- Tan - olive/brown
- Dark red spots that get larger towards belly;
- 2 lg. blackish saddles on back
- Caudal and anal fin with a broad whitish outer edge
- Confused with Red hind
29
Q
A
Creole-fish
- Streamlined
- Deeply forked caudal fin
- three distinct spots across back
- deep red spot at base of pectoral fin
