Bony Fishes Guide to Families

Home , Anthias anthias, Capros aper, Scorpaenidae

14 BONY FISHES GUIDE TO FAMILIES

CAPROIDAE Boarfishes spinous bony plates To about 30 cm; marine, from 65 to about 600 m depth; benthic to benthopelagic. Two species occasionally taken in trawls.

scales strongly spinulated mouth very scutes small

Zeus faber

large bony plates Capros aper

Zenopsis conchifer

no bony plates or scutes

Antigonia capros

GRAMMICOLEPIDAE Grammicolepids Cyttopsis roseus

To about 20 cm; marine, from about 200 to below 500 m depth; benthopelagic. ZENIONTIDAE Zeniontids 5-7 spines Body rather elongate, always scaled; eyes very large scales linear, elongated about half of head length; insertions of pelvic fins vertically in all species behind bases of pectorals. A single species in the area.

1 spine 2 spines Zenion hololepis 6 rays Grammicolepis

15 BONY FISHES GUIDE TO FAMILIES

OPAHS AND ALLIES - Lampridiformes PIPEFISHES AND ALLIES - Gasterosteiformes Body shape highly variable with the families; no Body elongate, snout tube-like; scales sometimes spines in fins; jaws protrusible. modified to form series of body plates.

SYNGNATHIDAE Pipefishes LAMPRIDAE Opahs page 77 To about 30 cm; in freshwater, estuaries, coastal To 185 cm; marine, from the surface to about 200 m lagoons, littoral pools and coastal marine waters to depth; pelagic. A single species. about 90 m depth; mostly benthic (at least one species pelagic).

body encased in numerous joined bony ridged

Syngnathus

pectoral fin bade horizontal Lampris guttatus

TRACHIPTERIDAE Ribbonfishes

To about 200 cm; marine, from about 180 to nearly 1000 m depth; pelagic. A single species.

Hippocampus

MACRORAMPHOSIDAE Snipefishes page 80 upper To about 15 cm; marine, from 25 to 600 m depth; lobe of benthopelagic. A single species in the area. caudal fin turned upward

Trachypterus tachypterus

ATELEOPODIDAE Ateleopids

To 180 cm; marine, from 200 to 600 m depth; benthopelagic. Several genera and species present in Macrorhamphosus scolopax the area. AULOSTOMIDAE Trumpetfishes dorsal fin short

To 75 cm; marine, in shallow and clear coastal waters; often drifting head down. A single species in the area.

mouth inferior anal and caudal find fused Aulostomus strigosus

BONY FISHES GUIDE TO FAMILIES The most important genera: Cornetfishes, first FISTULARIIDAE flutemouths page 67 suborbitary bone wide To 200 cm; marine, shallow coastal waters. posteriorly first suborbitary bone pointed

Fistularia

Helicolenus Scorpaena

scales normal SCORPIONFISHES AND ALLIES - Scorpaeniformes

Cheeks with a bony strut (posterior extension of suborbital bone to preopercle); usually well Setarches developed spines on head and prominent spines in dorsal fin; pectoral fins usually rounded; membranes scales tubular between lower rays often incised; caudal fin rarely forked.

Pontinus, Scorpaena PLATYCEPHALIDAE Spiny flatheads page 90 lateral lines To 20 cm; marine, from 20 to about 200 m depth; a single species in the area.

head spiny

Grammoplites gruveli Remarks : do not confuse with Percophidae.

Scorpionfishes, SCORPAENIDAE rockfishes, page 101 8 lower rays lower rays rosefishes free for sometimes Helicolenus about 113 of Scorpaena free, but only their length at their tips To over 50 cm; marine, from the coastline to below 600 m depth; benthic; often with venimous spines.

11-16 dorsal spines

dorsal fin continuous, notched

all rays unbranched

spiny Pontinus suborbital caudal fin pectoral fins ridge usually 3 spines preopercle rounded spiny

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TRIGLIDAE Searobins, gurnards page 126

To about 45 cm; marine, from the coastline to about 200 m depth; benthic.

FLYING GURNARDS - Dactylopteriformes Greatly enlarged pectoral fins; head encased in a bony shield with a spiny crest from nape to below base of first dorsal fin.

3 lowermost rays free DACTYLOPTERIDAE Flying gurnards page 61 deep occipital no deep occipital To at least 45 cm; marine, in shallow coastal waters; groove groove benthic. A single species.

spiny ridge

Lepidotrigla Chelidonichthys long spine pectoral fin

Trigla lyra

PERISTEDIIDAE Armoured searobins

To 35 cm; marine, from about 50 to 500 m depth; dorsal view benthic. A single species in the area. Dactylopterus volitans spiny scutes

PERCH-LIKE FISHES - Perciformes: Percoidei Shape extremely variable; either 2 dorsal fins, or 1 dorsal fin with the anterior elements being sharp spines; pelvic fins with 1 spine and 5 soft rays, placed well forward on rostral spines barbel 2 lowermost ventral surface of body; maxillary bone not included in rays free gape of mouth but dorsal to the tooth-bearing Peristedion cataphractrum premaxilla.

CYCLOPTERIDAE (including Liparididae) SERRANIDAE (including subfamily page 104 Anthiinae) Lumpfishes, snailfishes Groupers, hinds, hamlets, seabasses, combers, creolefishes

To about 30 cm, but usually smaller; marine, from the coastline to below 1400 m depth; benthic to To over 300 cm; marine, from the coastline to depths benthopelagic. below 300 m; also in the lower reaches of estuaries; mostly benthic.

BONY FISHES GUIDE TO FAMILIES

9 spines 14-16 rays 3 spines

8-10 rays

Cephalopholis Anthias anthias

11 spines

14-18 rays 3 spines GRAMMISTIDAE Soapfishes page 69

To about 32 cm; marine, from shallow coastal waters to about 50 m depth; benthic.

3 spines 7-8 rays

Epinephelus

11 spines 16 rays

3 spines

no spines Rypticus

KUHLIIDAE Daras page 75

10-11 rays To 20 cm; marine, coastal waters to about 20 m depth. A single species in the area. Mycteroperca rubra

11-12 spines 11 spines + 1 crest instead of spines 11-13 rays

8-9 rayons 16 rays Polyprion americanus Parakuhlia macrophthalmus 10 spines

3 spines 13-15 rays

PRIACANTHIDAE Bigeyes, glasseyes page 91

To 40 cm; marine, from the coastline to about 200 m depth; benthic.

7-8 rays

Serranus

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10 spines eye large RACHYCENTRIDAE Cobias page 92

To 200 cm; marine, pelagic in offshore waters (near the surface) but also over shallow reefs and occasionally in estuaries. A single species.

7 to 9 short separate spines

mouth oblique Priacanthus

3 spines pelvic fins united to 2 spines body by a membrane Rachycentron canadum APOGONIDAE Cardinalfishes ECHENEIDIDAE Remoras, shark-suckers, disc fishes

To about 20 cm, but most species smaller than 12 cm; To about 100 cm; marine, pelagic and attached to larger marine, from the coastline to about 1000 m depth; also marine organisms (sharks, turtles, marine mammals, in brackish waters and freshwater; mostly benthic. etc.). 6 or 7 spines The most important genera

eye large sucking disk

opercular Echeneis naucrates spine Apogon 2 spines (see Plate IV, 29) BRANCHIOSTEGIDAE Tilefishes page 48

To 70 cm; marine, from about 20 to 200 m depth; benthic. A single species in the area.

predorsal 6 spines ridge

Remora

CARANGIDAE page 48 Jacks, pompanos, runners, bumpers, scads, 1 or 2 spines pilotfishes, rudderfishes, lookdowns, moonfishes, amberjacks, leatherjacks Branchiostegus semifasciatus

POMATOMIDAE Bluefishes page 91 To about 140 cm; marine, from the coastline to below 200 m depth; a few species entering brackish waters; To 110 cm; marine, surface waters; pelagic. A single benthic, coastal-pelagic or oceanic-pelagic. species in the area.

7 or 8 spines + 1 eye small

anal fin

2 spines separated 7-8 rays from anal fin pointed teeth 2 spines Pomatomus saltatrix (often hidden under skin)

20 BONY FISHES GUIDE TO FAMILIES 6 or 7 spines 1 double-rayed finlet

Elagatis bipinnulata

Campogramma glaycos 6 spines

simple finlet

scutes

Trachinotus Decapterus enlarged scales 4 or 5 spines keel

Naucrates ductor scutes

scales similar to scutes Trachurus

pelvic fins longer than Seriola pectorals

2 keels scutes

Selar crumenophtalmus enlarged scales

23-56 scutes

Caranx scouts

no keels

2 keels

Uraspis helvola 41-53 scutes

Hemicaranx bicolor

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bony ridge in male first dorsal fin not visible in adults

2 keels

Coryphaena BRAMIDAE Pomfrets

To about 100 cm; marine, mostly epi- or mesopelagic to below 300 m depth; one genus (Eumegistus), possibly scutes deep benthic.

Alectis (adult)

6-12 weak scutes

Brama maxilla scaled Several other genera occur in the area. ventral Chioroscombrus chrysurus profile strongly CENTRACANTHIDAE Picarels, page 56 convex bonnetmouths To 30 cm; marine, to about 200 m depth; benthic.

upper jaw (premaxilla) protrusible

11-13 spines Lichia amia

8 spines

opercle without Spicara spines

EMMELICHTHYIDAE Rubyfishes, redbaits, page 63 rovers Selene dorsalis To 30 cm; marine, from about 100 to 300 m depth; pelvic fins short bentho-pelagic. A single species in the area.

Dolphinfishes, CORYPHAENIDAE "Dolphins" page 59

To 200 cm; marine, oceanic-pelagic, but sometimes approaching the coast.

supramaxilla maxilla distinctly (mouth protracted) scaly