Lecture 6 - Marine Organism ID $

Netted Barrel Sponge

look coral esk but are not, have characteristic barrel shape

Long Spined Sea Urchin

Diadema antillarium

Queen Conch

Aliger gigas

Milk Conch

has white on inside of shell

Caribbean Spiny Lobster

Panulirus argus; are nocturnal and has white dots

Fire Coral

multiple growth forms including branching and plate like

Sea Fan

Mustard Hill Coral

looks like the dandelion of the ocean

Symmetrical Brain Coral

Finger Coral

Lobed Star Coral

has lobes

Yellow Pencil Coral

Staghorn Coral

Elkhorn Coral

Yellowfin Mojarra

forked tail, silver body, faint yellow on pectoral fin

Bar Jack

forked tail, silver body, black bar from dorsal side down caudal fin, accompanied by blue strip

Schoolmaster Snapper

Silver body, yellow fins, sometimes has black slash through eye, juvenile has white bars on body

Gray Snapper

silver body, sometimes has black slash through eye, also known as mangrove snapper

Yellowtail snapper

large forked caudal fin, grey body, yellow strip along body, yellow caudal fin, usually in water column, occasionally near bottom

Yellow goatfish

yellow caudal fin and stripe along body, upper body may have blueish to olive to red coloration, feet in sand / rubble using barbels

Atlantic Blue Tang

Adult: blue with yellow mark on caudal peduncle

Juvenile: yellow all over

Ocean Surgeonfish

Blueish grey olive, or dark brown body, no bars, white band at caudal base, markings around eye, blue / white edge on fins

Doctorfish

blueish grey or dark brown body, white band at caudal base, several markings radiate from eye, sometimes have white band at caudal base, blue / white edge on fins, always have body bars

compare ocean surgeonfish, Atlantic blue tang, and doctorfish

Sergeant Major

five black body bars, upper body usually yellow, male can become dark blue when protecting eggs, usually swimming in midwater

Blue Chromis

deeply forked tail, blue body, black dorsal side, black edges on caudal fin, relatively shallow body, usually feeding in small groups just above reefs

Blue Striped Grunt

yellow body, horizontal blue stripes, black dorsal and caudal fin

French Grunt

yellow body, diagonal blue stripes below lateral line, horizontal blue stripes above lateral line, yellow fins

Compare French Grunt and Blue Striped Grunt

Nassau Grouper

Epinephelus striatus, tan and white bars, black saddle spot at base of caudal fin

Coney Grouper

usually red body with small blue spots, two black dots on lower lip, two black dots behind dorsal fin, bicolor variant, yellow variant

Yellowhead wrasse

Juvenile phase: yellow body with blue stripe

initial phase: yellow chin, dark dorsal side, lines around eye

terminal phase: yellow head and forebody, dark midbody bar

Bluehead Wrasse

juvenile phase: white body with black stripes

initial phase: yellow and white (varies widely)

terminal phase: blue head, two dark midbody bars

Slippery Dick

all phases: small green and yellow spot above pectoral fin

juvenile phase: white or grey with dark stripe midbody

initial phase: multicolored

terminal phase: multicolored with dark stripe midbody and dark triangular corners on tail

compare bluehead, yellowhead, slippery dick

Queen Parrotfish

initial phase: dark body, large white stripe across side

terminal phase: green body, blue lines on fac, blue and green markings around mouth (“moustache and beard”), light bar on pectoral fin

Stoplight Parrotfish

initial phase: dark body with white spots, red fins, yellow coloration around eyes

terminal phase: light blue body, red edged scales, yellow on caudal fin, yellow dot near pectoral fin

Squirrelfish

large eyes, red body, white stripes, yellow dorsal fin, usually in shaded areas near bottom

Spotted Moray Eel

white to yellow body with dark spots, usually in crevasses / recesses, head often extended from opening

Great Barracuda

Aliger gigas

Queen Conch scientific name

Diadema antillarum

Long Spined Sea Urchin scientific name

Panulirus argus

Caribbean Spiny Lobster scientific name

Epinephelus striatus

Nassau Grouper scientific name