2026 Ich Taxonomy guide

Row of spines along the midline, dorsal and ventral folds on the tail

Myliobatiformes, Dasyatidae, Hypanus sabinus

Five rows of scutes, 4 barbels

Acipenseriformes, Acipenseridae, Acipenser desotoi

Broad head, Long snout

Lepisosteiformes, Lepisosteidae, Atractosteus spatula

Dark spots, long beak

Lepisosteiformes, Lepisosteidae, Lepisosteus oculatus

Skinny with gular plate

Elopiformes, Elopidae, Elops saurus

Single spot with smaller dots behind it

Clupeiformes, Alosidae, Brevoortia patronus

Finlets behind dorsal and anal fin, dark spot above operculum

Clupeiformes, Dorsomatidae, Dorosoma cepedianum

Stomach scutes, small shoulder spot

Clupeiformes, Dorsomatidae, Harengula jaguana

Narrow silver stripe, clear

Clupeiformes, Engraulidae, Anchoa mitchili

Larger dark spot behind gill cover

Clupeiformes, Dorsomatidae, Sardinella aurita

Large silver stripe, clear

Clupeiformes, Engraulidae, Anchoa hepsetus

Large black spot at tail base

Cypriniformes, Leuciscidae, Cyprinella venusta

Rows of dark spots, Single dorsal fin

Cypriniformes, Catostomidae, Minytrema melanops

Barbels, pectoral and dorsal spines, bony flat head

Siluriformes, Ariidae, Ariopsis felis

Cylindrical, triangular head, teeth on tongue, diamond patches

Aulopiformes, Synodontidae, Synodus foetens

depressed head, large mouth, molted brown gray body

Batrachoidaria, Batrachoidiformes, Batrachoididae, Opsanus beta

Spiny first dorsal, soft second, bronze spots, small finlets behind dorsal

Pelagiaria, Scombriformes, Scombridae, Scomberomorus maculatus

Fine lines, knobs

Syngnatharia, Syngnathiformes, Syngnathidae, Hippocampus erectus

smaller, no spines

Syngnatharia, Syngnathiformes, Syngnathidae, Hippocampus zosterae

Solid dark color, needlelike body

Syngnatharia, Syngnathiformes, Syngnathidae, Syngnathus floridae

needlelike body

Syngnatharia, Syngnathiformes, Syngnathidae, Syngnathus louisianae

3 dark rings, one white one pattern, needle-like body

Syngnatharia, Syngnathiformes, Syngnathidae, Syngnathus pelagicus

Short snout, needle-like body

Syngnatharia, Syngnathiformes, Syngnathidae, Syngnathus scovelli

Two under spines, vertical bands, black spot on operculum

Carangaria, Carangiformes, Carangidae, Caranx hippos

Deeply compressed body, greenish back

Carangaria, Carangiformes, Carangidae, Chloroscombrus chrysurus

Reduced rear fins, yellow fins, serrated dorsal spine

Carangaria, Carangiformes, Carangidae, Oligoplites saurus

Silvery, shorter forehead

Carangaria, Carangiformes, Carangidae, Selene setapinnis

Steeply sloped head, long dorsal

Carangaria, Carangiformes, Carangidae, Selene vomer

Blunt snout, forked tail, more elongate

Carangaria, Carangiformes, Carangidae, Trachinotus carolinus

Elongated fins with dark lobes, no scales, wider pectoral fin

Carangaria, Carangiformes, Carangidae, Trachinotus falcatus

Fused fins, unscaled

Gobiaria, Gobiiformes, Gobiidae, Gobiosoma bosc

Fused pelvic fins, big head

Gobiaria, Gobiiformes, Gobiidae, Microgobius gulosus

Sail-like dorsal fin, fused pelvic fins

Gobiaria, Gobiiformes, Gobiidae, Gobionellus oceanicus

Fangs, crossbars, underbite, torpedo-shaped, two dorsal fins

Carangaria, Carangiformes, Sphyraenidae, Sphyraena barracuda

Left-eyed, round snout, crossbars and opercle black dot, pointed tail

Carangaria, Pleuronectiformes, Cynoglossidae, Symphurus plagiusa

Left-eyed, Bony crest between eyes, straight lateral line from opercle to tail base

Carangaria, Pleuronectiformes, Paralichthyidae, Citharichthys spilopterus

Left-eyed, Black scale margins on eyes, lower eye slightly on front, mouth does not reach eyes

Carangaria, Pleuronectiformes, Paralichthyidae, Etropus crossotus

Left-eyed, three spots with rough triangle pattern, brownish grey

Carangaria, Pleuronectiformes, Paralichthyidae, Paralichthys albigutta

Left-eyed, dark brown with light blotches, jaw beyond eye

Carangaria, Pleuronectiformes, Paralichthyidae, Paralichthys lethostigma

Right-eyed, crossbands and blotches, fins not confluent with rounded tail

Carangaria, Pleuronectiformes, Paralichthyidae, Trinectes maculatus

Rough silver stripe, dark spots on back, two dorsal fins

Ovalenteria, Atheriniformes, Atherinopsidae, Membras martinica

Bright midline stripe, two dorsal fins

Ovalenteria, Atheriniformes, Atherinopsidae, Menidia beryllina

elongated jaws, dark stripe, silver, no spines on fins

Ovalenteria, Beloniformes, Belonidae, Strongylura marina

Much longer lower jaw, red tip, small dorsal and under fins

Ovalentaria, Beloniformes, Hemiramphidae, Hyporhamphus meeki

Olive bars, dark dorsal fin, yellow fins, large circular scales on cheeks and head

Ovalenteria, Cyprinodontiformes, Cyprinodontidae, Cyprinodon variegatus

Blunt snout, stripeing or spots, deep caudal peduncle

Ovalenteria, Cyprinodontiformes, Fundulidae, Fundulus grandis

Long upturned snout, flat head

Ovalenteria, Cyprinodontiformes, Fundulidae, Fundulus similis

Golden operculum spot, black blotch on base of dorsal fin, blunt nose

Ovalenteria, Mugiliformes, Mugilidae, Mugil curema

No pectoral black blotch, horizontal stripes, blunt nose

Ovalenteria, Mugiliformes, Mugilidae, Mugil cephalus

Frying-pan shape, faint lines, suction disc on underside, small eyes

Ovalenteria, Gobiesociformes, Gobiesocidae, Gobiesox strumosus

Small head, yellow fins, unbroken lateral line

Eupercaria, Sciaeniformes, Sciaenidae, Bairdiella chrysoura

Two canine teeth, no dark spots

Eupercaria, Sciaeniformes, Sciaenidae, Cynoscion arenarius

Spots on back onto dorsal fin and tail, two canine teeth, silver belly

Eupercaria, Sciaeniformes, Sciaenidae, Cynoscion nebulosus

vertical bars, dark opercle, yellow rear fins

Eupercaria, Sciaeniformes, Sciaenidae, Larimus fasciatus

Spot behind operculum, young have diagonal bars, Silver to gold coloring

Eupercaria, Sciaeniformes, Sciaenidae, Leiostomus xanthurus

Pattern, first dorsal spine shorted

Eupercaria, Sciaeniformes, Sciaenidae, Menticirrhus americanus

No pattern, subterminal mouth, no pattern

Eupercaria, Sciaeniformes, Sciaenidae, Menticirrhus littoralis

Faint mottling, one barbel, spiny separate first dorsal

Eupercaria, Sciaeniformes, Sciaenidae, Micropogonias undulatus

Two dorsal fins, last one rounded, bars do not extend to stomach, barbels

Eupercaria, Sciaeniformes, Sciaenidae, Pogonias cromis

Bronze-red back, spot at base of tail, no barbel

Eupercaria, Sciaeniformes, Sciaenidae, Sciaenops ocellatus

Pointed snout, downward-pointing extensible mouth, light pigment on snout

Eupercaria, Gerriformes, Gerridae, Eucinostomus gula

Smooth preopercal, subterminal mouth, appears toothless

Eupercaria, Gerriformes, Gerridae, Eucinostomus harengulus

blue and orange spots in lines, blunt head, yellow orange fins

Eupercaria, Lutjaniformes, Haemulidae, Orthopristis chrysoptera

reddish fins, stripe from snout through eye

Eupercaria, Lutjaniformes, Lutjanidae, Lutjanus griseus

human-like teeth, vertical black bars to stomach, one dorsal fin

Eupercaria, Spariformes, Sparidae, Archosargus probatocephalus

Dark spot on gill cover, yellow-blue horizontal stripes, spiny dorsal fin

Eupercaria, Spariformes, Sparidae, Lagodon rhomboides

triangular body, arm-like pectoral fins, brown with reddish orange dots

Eupercaria, Lophiiformes, Ogcocephalidae, Ogcocephalus cubifrons

Big dots on top, small dots on darker bottom, fixed spines, V-shaped jaws

Eupercaria, Tetraodontiformes, Diodontidae, Chilomycterus schoepfii

Same-sized dots, black spines with orange tips, beak teeth, and lacking a front groove

Eupercaria, Tetraodontiformes, Diodontidae, Chilomycterus antillarum

Elongate globular body, row of black blotches, beak with 4 fused teeth

Eupercaria, Tetraodontiformes, Tetraodontidae, Sphoeroides parvus

horns above eyes, spines at end of carapace and on upper and lower tail base, blue stripe

Eupercaria, Tetraodontiformes, Ostraciidae, Acanthoistacion quadricornis

Boxy structure, brownish background with white spots and black hexagonal markings, no horns

Eupercaria, Tetradontiformes, Ostraciidae, Lactophrys trigonus

Orange spots, small opercular flap with white edging

Eupercaria, Centrarchiformes, Centrarchidae, Lepomis humilis

solid dark blue opercular flap, copper belly, faint vertical bars

Eupercaria, Centrarchiformes, Centrarchidae, Lepomis macrochirus

No railroad tracks, reddish orange on opercular flap, spotted sides, dark spot near dorsal fin rear

Eupercaria, Centrarchiformes, Centrarchidae, Lepomis microlophus

yellow and red markings, red or yellow edge

Eupercaria, Centrarchiformes, Centrarchidae, Lepomis miniatus

upper jaw ends under eye, row of dark spots under lateral line

Eupercaria, Centrarchiformes, Centrarchidae, Micropterus punctulatus

3 finger-like feelers on chin, wide fins, flattened head, leopard coat

Eupercaria, Trigliformes, Triglidae, Prionotus scitulus

Spines on opercular, no barbel, large face, yellow fins, two dorsal fins

Eupercaria, Sciaeniformes, Sciaenidae, Stellifer lanceolatus

Lack pelvic fins and keel- blunt head, curved dorsal and rear fins, scales

Pelagiaria, Scombriformes, Stromateidae, Peprilus paru