Saltwater Fishes of Texas= " 5ICIIU1Nggyy A DlcHotoFAGUs Ksf IN INllfpg!p$ggg Edward 0. Murdy SAL,TWATERFISHES OF TEXAS A Dichotomous Key by Edward 0. Nurdy Departmentof Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas AQl University College Station, Texas 77843 Illustrations by Janice D. Fechhelm Bland Crowder, Editor August 1983 TAMU-SG-83-607 Partially Supportedthrough Institutional GrantNA81AA-D00092 to Texas A&M Uni versi ty by the National Sea Grant College Program National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Department of Commerce o 1983 Texas APl University Sea Grant Colleqe Proqram Price: $7 Order from Marine Information Ser vice Sea Grant College Program A/1-1 Texas A8M University TAMU-SG-83-607 College Station, Texas 77843 1,0GO August 1983 PREFACE In the 10 years since the second edition of Ke to the Estuarine and Marine Fishes of Texas was published, many studies have improved our knowledge of Texas marine fishes. Notable amongthese works have been Bright and Cashman 1974!, Hoese and Moore 1976! and the FAOSpecies Identification Sheets for the Western Central Atlantic 978!. These publications and other sources have provided the impetus and much new information for this work. While the basic format and style of the second edition have been retained, the large number of additions has forced the emendation of roughly 50$ of the original keys at the ordinal, familial and species levels. The second edition, while largely outdated, is a seminal work and my gratitude is extended to its preparers, Benny J. Gallaway, Jack C. Parker and Donald Moore. Janice D. Fechhelm has expertly drawn approximately 500 figures for this edition which includes 130 species not found in the second edition. Consequently, the number of estuarine and marine species in Texas waters now approaches 550. I wish to acknowledge the support of Feenan D. Jennings and Lauriston R. King of the Texas A&MUniversity Sea Grant College Program. Laura Colunga and Bland Crowder provided editorial expertise. Sandra Garcia typed and retyped! the manuscript. My sincere thanks go to the following who reviewed and commentedon portions of the manuscript: Steven D. Branstetter sharks!, John D. McEachran skates and rays!, David G. Smith Anguilliformes!, and Richard E. Matheson Gerr eidae!. Michael J. McCoid and Frank Pezeld also added pertinent comments. Edward 0. Murdy Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences Texas A&M University College Station, Texas 77843 111 TABLE OF CONTENTS I NTRODUCTI ON ~ ~ ~ ~~ 4 ~ 4~ 4 4 ~ 4~ ~~ ~4 ~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ 4~ Plan of Guide...... ~ ..~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ -~ ~- ~~ ~~ ~~ ..... ~ ~~ 2 Identification........... ~ ~... 0 ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 2 How to Use the Key.................. ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 4~ ~~ ~~ 4~ 44 ~4 ~~ 4~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~3 Morphology............................................................. 4 Basic Count s and Meas ur ements........................ 7 GLOSSARYOF SELECTEDTECHNICAL TERMS.......,....,.................,.... 9 KEY TOORDERS.... ~ -... ~ -~ -~ ~~ -~ ~ ~ ~-- ~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ . ~ ~ ~ ~... 14 HEXANCHIFORMES....................... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 3 2 ORECTOLOBIFORMES.~ ................... ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 32 LAMNIFORMES.......................... ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ 0 4 ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 33 CARCHARHINIFORMES..................., ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 4 ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~0 ~ ~0 ~~ ~~ ~~ 34 SgUALIF ORMES4 ~~ ~~ ~~ ~4 4 ~~ ~~ 4~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~4 ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ .........42 S UATINIFORMES.....................,. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 43 PR1ST IF ORMES ~ ~~ ~~ ~4 ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 43 TORPEDINIFORMES................... ~ ~4 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ 4 ~ 43 RAJIFORMES..................... ~ ...., ~ 44 ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~44 ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~0 ~~ 0~ ~45 MYLIOBATIFORMES...................... 4 ~ ~ 0 ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ' ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 45 LE P! SOSTEIFORMES ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~4 4~ a~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ 44 ~ ~~ a~ ~49 AMIIFORMES.... ~ ................4 ~ .... ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 51 ELOPIFORMES ~ ~~ ~~ 4~ ~a ~~ 4~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~4 ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ r 440 ~ ~04 ~ 4 ~ 40 ~ 4 ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 51 ANGUILl IFORMES....................... ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 52 CLUPE IFORMES ~ ~~ ~~ ~4 ~ 0 ~~ 0 ~~ 4 ~~ 4 44 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~4 ~~ ~4 61 SA LMONI F ORMES ~ ~~ ~~ 4~ 0~ ~~ ~~ 4~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~0 ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~44 ~ 4 ~44 e466 MYCTOPHIFORMES....................... 40 ~ 40 ~ ~04 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 444 ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 4~ 68 AULOPIFORMES.. ~ ...................... ~ 0 ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~~ s~ ~s ~~ 4~ 68 CYPR! NIFORMES 4 4~ 4~ ~4 ~ ~~ 4~ ~ 4 ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ 4~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ 0~ ~~ ~~ 0~ 72 BATRACHO ID IF ORMES.................... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ I ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~~ ~4 ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 72 GOBIESO CIFORME...................... ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ .72 LOPH I IF ORMES~ ~~ e~ ~~ ~4 4~ ~~ ~~ 4 ~~ 0 4~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 74 GADIF ORMES 4 ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 4~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 78 OPH! DI IFORMES ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ 4 ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 82 CYPRINODONTIFORMES.......... ~ ........ ~ ~0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 84 BELONIFORMES~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ as ~ ~04 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~4 ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~ ~4 ~ ~~ 4~ ~0 87 ATHERINIFORMES....................... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ 4 ~ ~ 4 ~ .94 LAMPRIFORMES.... ~ ~........, ~ ...,..... ~ ~4 ~ ~ 0 ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 94 BERYCIFORNES..... ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ 0 ~ ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ ~....,9S ZEIFORMES........ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .....96 GASTEROSTEIF ORNES F0 ' ~98 SCORPAE N IFORMES ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ....100 PERCIFORNES...... ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ 0 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~....108 P LEURONEC T IF ORMES 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 ~ ~0 ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .193 TETRAODONT IFORME S ~ 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 4 4 ~ ~ ~ ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ ~~ ~202 INDEX TO FAMILIES........................,,.....,....,, 212 B I 8 L I OGRAPHY ~ ~~ ~~ ~~ 0~ 0~ ~0 ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~~ ~0 ~~ ~~ 0~ 0~ ~4 0218 I NTRODUC T I ON Personsattempting to identify estuarineand marine fishes found along the Texascoast face a serioushandicap because the pertinentliterature i s vast andscattered through a varietyof booksand technical journals. This keyis a compilationof that literature into a singlevolume and includes onlythose adult fishes known or expectedto occuralong the Texascoast. Thekey was first publishedas anunillustrated 1aboratary manual far ma- rine ichthyology Parker, Gallaway and moore, 1970! and has been consider- ably expandedin a subsequenteditions. Thearea of coverageextends from SabinePass to the mouthof the Rio GrandeRiver, and includes all estuarinewaters and that part of the Gulf of Nexicoabove the continentalshelf to a depthof 200meters 56 feet!. Thecompilation of specieswas obtained from the checklistsof Hoese 1958!,Briggs et al. 1964!and Parker 1965! and supplemented bymore re- cent recordsfrom the literature. A fewmarine species that havebeen re- portedonly from waters beyond the continental shelf are included because the locationat whichthey werecollected was close enough to the 200meter boundaryto indicatethat theymay venture into the areaof coverage. Thesespecies are denoted by an asterisk as they appear in the text. Some familiesof freshwaterfishes were also includedto facilitate identifica- tion in the low salinity regionsof the estuaries. Fora keyto the fresh- waterspecies, the reader is referredto Eddyand Underhill 1978!. Plan of Guide Theformat consists first of a key to the orders, then families within orders, andfinally specieswithin families. Dependingon their distribu- tion, the familiesand species are distinguishedas beingfreshwater F!, estuarine E!, marine M!, or any combination thereof. Thesystematic arrangement proposed by Nelson 1976!has been adopted, exceptin a fewcases where different namesare useddue to recent revi- sions. Commonnames of families and species follow that of the American Fisheries Society Robins et al., 1980!. Identification In order to ensure proper identification, the following procedure is recommended: ! Familiarizeyoursel f with the sectionson Morphology,Basic Counts and Measurements,Diagnostic Charactersand Glossaryof SelectedTechnical Termssince the information contained there is critic,al to understand- ing the technical languageused in the keys. Wordsnot explainedin the glossary will be found in a standard dictionary. ! Keythe fish from the largest group Key to Orders! through succes- sively smaller groups Keys to Families and Species! until a scienti- fic and common name is found. ! Comparethe fish in questionwith the outline drawingof the deter- minedspecies. If they correspondthe identification is probably cor- rect. If, after repeatedattempts, the fish cannot be satisfactorily identified it should be preserved in a 10$ formalin solution with data on the time, place and date of capture and sent to a museum.Both the Departmentof Wildlife andFisheries Sciences, Texas A8M University