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BONY FISH SPECIES
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The following bony fishes are found within the coral cap region of the sanctuary (0-130 ft, 0-40m deep). Common names are listed, if known.

Click on a link below to go directly to a specific group of fish, or scroll down the page to see them all. Click on any photo to see a larger image.

Angelfishes
Barracudas
Bigeyes
Blennies
Bonnetmouths
Boxfishes
Butterflyfishes
Cardinalfishes
Chubs
Cobias
Conger Eels
Cornetfishes
Damselfishes
Dolphins
Dragonets
Drums
False Moray Eesl
Filefishes
Flyingfishes
Frogfishes
Goatfishes
Gobies
Grunts
Halfbeaks
Hawkfishes
Jacks
Jawfishes
Lefteyed Flounders
Lizardfishes
Mackerels
Moray Eels
Mullets
Needlefishes
Ocean Sunfishes
Parrotfishes
Pipefishes
Porgies
Puffers
Remoras
Sea Basses (Groupers)
Scorpionfishes
Snake Eels
Snappers
Soapfishes
Spadefishes
Spaghetti Eels
Spiny Puffers
Squirrelfishes
Surgeonfishes
Threadfins
Tilefishes
Triggerfishes
Trumpetfishes
Tripletails
Wrasses

Angelfish List

Angelfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
cherubfish Centropyge argi
blue angelfish Holacanthus bermudensis
queen angelfish
queen angelfish
Holacanthus ciliaris

townsend angelfish (hybrid of blue & queen angelfish)
Townsend's angelfish

Townsend's angelfish

Holacanthus townsendi
rock beauty
Rock beauty
Holacanthus tricolor

french angelfish
French angelfish

Juvenile French angelfish
(juvenile)

Pomacanthus paru

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Barracuda List

Barracudas
Common Name Scientific Name

great barracuda
Great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda)

great barracuda

Sphyraena barracuda

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Bigeye List

Bigeyes
Common Name Scientific Name
glasseye snapper
Glasseye snapper
Heteropriacanthus (Priacanthus) cruentatus
bigeye Priacanthus arenatus
short bigeye Pristigenys alta

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Blenny List

Blennies
Common Name Scientific Name
banner blenny Emblemaria atlantica
sailfin blenny Emblemaria pandionis
barred blenny Hypleurochilus bermudensis
orangespotted/tessellated blenny
tessellated blenny
Hypsoblennius invemar
redlip blenny
Redlip blenny (Ophioblennius atlanticus)
Ophioblennius atlanticus

seaweed blenny
seaweed blenny
(yellow variation)

Seaweed blenny, dark variation
(dark variation)

Parablennius marmoreus
molly miller Scartella cristata
dwarf blenny Starksia nanodes
checkered blenny Starksia ocellata

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Bonnetmouth List

Bonnetmouths
Common Name Scientific Name
bonnetmouth Emmelichthyops atlanticus
boga Inermia vittata

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Boxfish List

Boxfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
spotted trunkfish Lactophrys bicaudalis
honeycomb cowfish
honeycomb cowfish
Acanthostracion (Lactophrys) polygonia
scrawled cowfish
scrawled cowfish
Acanthostracion (Lactophrys) quadricornis

smooth trunkfish

smooth trunkfish

juvenile smooth trunkfish
(juvenile)

Lactophrys triqueter

golden smooth trunkfish
Golden smooth trunkfish (Lactophrys triqueter)

golden smooth trunkfish

Lactophrys triqueter

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Butterflyfish List

Butterflyfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
foureye butterflyfish Chaetodon capistratus
spotfin butterflyspotfin butterflyfish Chaetodon ocellatus
reef butterflyreef butterflyfish Chaetodon sedentarius
banded butterfly Chaetodon striatus
longsnout butterfly Prognathodes (Chaetodon) aculeatus

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Cardinalfish List

Cardinalfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
bigtooth cardinalfish Apogon affinis
flamefish
flamefish
Apogon maculatus
mimic cardinalfish Apogon phenax
pale cardinalfish Apogon planifrons
two-spot cardinalfish Apogon pseudomaculatus
sawcheek cardinalfish Apogon quadrisquamatus
roughlip cardinalfish Apogon robins
belted cardinalfish Apogon townsendi
freckled cardinalfish Phaeoptyx conklini
dusky cardinalfish
dusky cardinalfish
Phaeoptyx pigmentaria

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Chub List

Chubs
Common Name Scientific Name

Bermuda/yellow chub
chub

school of chub

Kyphosus sectator (sectatrix)/incisor

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Cobia List

Cobia
Common Name Scientific Name
cobia Rachycentron canadum

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Conger Eel List

Conger Eels
Common Name Scientific Name
conger eel Conger oceanicus
threadtail conger Uroconger syringinus

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Cornetfish List

Cornetfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
red cornetfish Fistularia petimba

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Damselfish List

Damselfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
sergeant major
sergeant major
Abudefduf saxatilis
blue chromis Chromis cyanea
yellowtail reefish Chromis enchrysura
sunshinefish Chromis insolata
brown chromis
brown chromis
Chromis multilineata
purple reefish Chromis scotti
yellowtail damselfish Microspathodon chrysurus
longfin damselfish Stegastes diencaeus

dusky damselfish
juvenile dusky damselfish
(juvenile)

Stegastes fuscus
bicolor damsel
bicolor damselfish
Stegastes (Pomacentrus) partitus
threespot damselfish
three spot damselfish
Stegastes (Pomacentrus) planifrons

cocoa damselfish
juvenile cocoa damselfish
(juvenile)

Stegastes (Pomacentrus) variabilis

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Dolphin List

Dolphins
Common Name Scientific Name
dolphin Coryphaena hippurus

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Dragonet List

Dragonets
Common Name Scientific Name
lancer dragonet Paradiplogrammus bairdi

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Drum List

Drums
Common Name Scientific Name
jackknife fish Equetus lanceolatus
spotted drum
juvenile spotted drum
Equetus punctatus
highhat Pareques (Equetus) acuminatus
cubbyu
Cubbyu (Pareques (Equetus) umbrosus)
Pareques (Equetus) umbrosus

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False Moray Eel List

False Moray Eels
Common Name Scientific Name
collared eel Kaupichthys nuchalis

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Filefish List

Filefishes
Common Name Scientific Name
unicorn filefish Aluterus monoceros
scrawled filefish
Scrawled filefish (Aluterus scriptus)
Aluterus scriptus
whitespotted filefish Cantherhines macrocerus
orangespotted filefish Cantherhines pullus
planehead filefish Stephanolepis hispida
pygmy filefish Stephanolepis (Monacanthus) setifer

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Flyingfish List

Flyingfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
margined flyingfish Cheilopogon (Cypselurus) cyanopterus
Atlantic flyingfish Cheilopogon (Cypselurus) melanurus
blackwing flyingfish Hirundichthys rondeleti
sailfin flyingfish Parexocoetus brachypterus

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Frogfish List

Frogfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
sargassumfish Histrio histrio
longlure frogfish Antennarius multiocellatus

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Goatfish List

Goatfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
yellow goatfish
yellow goatfish
Mulloidichthys martinicus
spotted goatfish
spotted goatfish
Pseudupeneus maculatus
dwarf goatfish Upeneus parvus

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Goby List

Gobies
Common Name Scientific Name
pallid goby Coryphopterus eidolon
bridled goby Coryphopterus glaucofraenum
spotted goby Coryphopterus punctipectophorus
bartail goby Coryphopterus thrix
neon gobyNeon goby Elacatinus (Gobiosoma) oceanops
goldspot goby Gnatholepis thompsoni
island goby Lythrpnus nesiotes
convict goby Lythrpnus phorellus
bluegold goby Lythrpnus spilus
rusty goby Priolepis (Quisquilius) hipoliti
blue goby
blue goby
Ptereleotris (Ioglossus) calliuris
tusked goby Risor ruber

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Grunt List

Grunts
Common Name Scientific Name
black margate Anisotremus surinamensis
tomtate Haemulon aurolineatum
spanish grunt Haemulon macrostomum
cottonwick
cottonwicks
Haemulon melanurum
pigfish Orthopristis chrysoptera

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Halfbeak List

Halfbeaks
Common Name Scientific Name
flying halfbeak Euleptorhamphus velox
balao Hemiramphus balao
ballyhoo Hemiramphus brasiliensis

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Hawkfish List

Hawkfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
redspotted hawkfish
redspotted hawkfish
Amblycirrhitus pinos

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Jack List

Jacks
Common Name Scientific Name
African pompano Alectis ciliaris
yellow jack
yellow jacks
Carangoides (Caranx) bartholomaei
bar jack
bar jacks
Carangoides (Caranx) ruber
blue runner Caranx crysos
crevalle jack Caranx hippos

horse-eye jack
horse-eye jacks

horse-eye jacks

Caranx latus
black jack
black jack
Caranx lugubris
rainbow runner
rainbow runners
Elagatis bipinnulata
lookdown
Lookdown (Selene vomer)
Selene vomer
greater amberjack Seriola dumerili
almaco jack Seriola rivoliana
mackerel scad Decapterus macarellus
round scad Decapterus punctatus
bigeye scad Selar crumenophthalmus
rough scad Trachurus lathami

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Jawfish List

Jawfishes
Common Name Scientific Name

yellowheaded jawfish
yellowhead jawfish in burrow

yellowhead jawfish emerging from burrow

yellowhead jawfish

Opistognathus aurifrons

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Lefteyed Flounder List

Lefteyed Flounders
Common Name Scientific Name
peacock flounder Bothus lunatus
eyed flounder Bothus ocellatus

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Lizardfish List

Lizardfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
bluestriped lizardfish Synodus saurus
red lizardfish
Red lizardfish (Synodus synodus)
Synodus synodus

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Mackerel List

Mackerels
Common Name Scientific Name
wahoo Acanthocybium solandri
little tunny Euthynnus alletteratus
bonito Sarda sarda
king mackerel Scomberomorus cavalla
Spanish mackerel Scomberomorus maculatus

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Moray Eel List

Moray Eels
Common Name Scientific Name
chestnut moray Enchelycore carychroa
viper moray Enchelycore nigricans
green moray Gymnothorax funebris
goldentail moray
goldentail moray eel
Gymnothorax miliaris
spotted moray
Spotted moray (Gymnothorax moringa)
Gymnothorax moringa
blackedge moray Gymnothorax nigromarginatus
purplemouth moray Gymnothorax vicinus

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Mullet List

Mullets
Common Name Scientific Name
striped mullet (juv) Mugil cephalus
white mullet (juv) Mugil curema

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Needlefish List

Needlefishes
Common Name Scientific Name
flat needlefish Ablennes hians
keeltail needlefish Platybelone argalus
agujon Tylosurus acus

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Ocean Sunfish List

Ocean Sunfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
ocean sunfish Mola mola

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Parrotfish List

Parrotfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
bluelip parrotfish Cryptotomus roseus
midnight parrotfish Scarus coelestinus
striped parrotfish Scarus iseri (croicensis)
princess parrotfish Scarus taeniopterus

queen parrotfish
queen parrotfish terminal phase
(terminal phase)

queen parrotfish face

Scarus vetula
greenblotch parrotfish Sparisoma atomarium
redband parrotfish Sparisoma aurofrenatum
redtail parrotfish Sparisoma chrysopterum
bucktooth parrotfish Sparisoma radians

stoplight parrotfish
stoplight parrotfish terminal phase
(terminal phase)

stoplight parrotfish initial phase
(initial phase)

Sparisoma viride

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Pipefish List

Pipefishes
Common Name Scientific Name
sargassum pipefish Syngnathus pelagicus

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Porgy List

Porgies
Common Name Scientific Name
sheepshead porgy Archosargus probatocephalus

saucereye porgy
Saucereye porgy

Saucereye porgy head

Calamus calamus
whitebone porgy Calamus leucosteus
knobbed porgy Calamus nodosus
red porgy Pagrus pagrus

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Puffer List

Puffers
Common Name Scientific Name

sharpnose puffer
sharpnose puffer

sharpnose puffer

Canthigaster rostrata
goldfaced puffer Canthigaster jamestyleri
bandtail puffer Sphoeroides spengleri

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Remora List

Remoras
Common Name Scientific Name
sharksucker Echeneis naucrates
whitefin sharksucker Echeneis neucratoides
remora Remora remora

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Sea Bass List

Sea Basses
Common Name Scientific Name
graysby
graysby grouper
Cephalopholis cruentata (Epinephelus cruen)

coney
bicolor variation of coney
(bicolor variation)

Cephalopholis fulva (Epinephelus fulvus)

marbled grouper
Marbled grouper (Dermatolepis inermis)

marbled grouper

Dermatolepis (Epinephelus) inermis
rock hind
rock hind
Epinephelus adscensionis
yellowedge grouper Epinephelus flavolimbatus
red hind
red hind
Epinephelus guttatus
red grouper Epinephelus morio
warsaw grouper Epinephelus nigritus
wrasse bass Liopropoma eukrines
peppermint bass Liopropoma rubre
black grouper Mycteroperca bonaci

yellowmouth grouper
light colored yellowmouth grouper

dark colored yellowmouth grouper

juvenile yellowmouth grouper
(juvenile)

Mycteroperca interstitialis
scamp
scamp
Mycteroperca phenax
comb grouper Mycteroperca rubra

tiger grouper

tiger grouper in dark colors

Mycteroperca tigris

yellowfin grouper
juvenile yellowfin grouper
(juvenile)

Mycteroperca venenosa
creolefish
Creolefish (Paranthias furcifer)
Paranthias furcifer
orangeback bass Serranus annularis
lantern bass Serranus baldwini
belted sandfish Serranus subligarius
harlequin bass Serranus tigrinus

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Scorpionfish List

Scorpionfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
coral scorpionfish Scorpaena albifimbria
spotted scorpionfish Scorpaena plumieri
reef scorpionfish Scorpaenodes caribbaeus

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Snake Eel List

Snake Eels
Common Name Scientific Name
sharptail eel Myrichthys breviceps (acuminatus)
goldspotted eel Myrichthys ocellatus

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Snapper List

Snappers
Common Name Scientific Name
schoolmaster Lutjanus apodus
blackfin snapper Lutjanus buccanella
red snapper Lutjanus campechanus
cubera snapper Lutjanus cyanopterus

gray snapper
gray snappers

gray snapper

Lutjanus griseus
dog snapper Lutjanus jocu
lane snapper
lane snapper
Lutjanus synagris
silk snapper Lutjanus vivanus
yellowtail snapper Ocyurus chrysurus
vermillion snapper Rhomboplites aurorubens

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Soapfish List

Soapfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
whitespotted soapfish Rypticus maculatus
spotted soapfish Rypticus subbifrenatus

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Spadefish List

Spadefishes
Common Name Scientific Name

Atlantic spadefish
Atlantic spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber)

spadefish

Chaetodipterus faber

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Spaghetti Eel List

Spaghetti Eels
Common Name Scientific Name
spaghetti eel Moringua edwardsi

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Spiny Puffer List

Spiny Puffers
Common Name Scientific Name
bridled burrfish Chilomycterus antennatus
web burrfish Chilomycterus antillarum
striped burrfish Chilomycterus schoepfii
balloonfish Diodon holocanthus
porcupinefish Diodon hystrix

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Squirrelfish List

Squirrelfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
squirrelfish
squirrelfish
Holocentrus adscensionis
longspine squirrelfish
longspine squirrelfish
Holocentrus rufus
blackbar soldierfish
Blackbar soldierfish (Myripristis jacobus)
Myripristis jacobus
longjaw squirrelfish Neoniphon (Holocentrus) marianus
cardinal soldierfish Plectrypops retrospinis
deepwater squirrelfish Sargocentron (Holocentrus) bullisi

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Surgeonfish List

Surgeonfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
ocean surgeonfish Acanthurus bahianus
doctorfish
doctorfish
Acanthurus chirurgus
blue tang Acanthurus coeruleus

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Threadfin List

Threadfins
Common Name Scientific Name
Atlantic threadfin (juv) Polydactylus octonemus

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Tilefish List

Tilefishes
Common Name Scientific Name
sand tilefish
sand tilefish
Malacanthus plumieri

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Triggerfish List

Triggerfishes
Common Name Scientific Name
gray triggerfishgray triggerfish Balistes capriscus
queen triggerfishqueen triggerfish Balistes vetula
rough triggerfish Canthidermis maculata
ocean triggerfishocean triggerfish Canthidermis sufflamen
black durgon Melichthys niger
sargassum triggerfish Xanthichthys ringens

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Trumpetfish List

Trumpetfish
Common Name Scientific Name
trumpetfishtrumpetfish Aulostomus maculatus

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Tripletail List

Tripletails
Common Name Scientific Name
tripletail Lobotes surinamensis

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Wrasse List

Wrasses
Common Name Scientific Name
spotfin hogfish
juvenile spotfin hogfish
Bodianus pulchellus

Spanish hogfish
Spanish hogfish

Spanish hogfish
(smaller adult)

juvenile Spanish hogfish
(juvenile)

Bodianus rufus
creole wrasse
creole wrasse
Clepticus parrae
slippery dick Halichoeres bivittatus

Mardis Gras wrasse
mardi gras wrasse male
(terminal phase)

red phase of mardi gras wrasse
(initial phase)

Halichoeres bureki
painted wrasse Halichoeres caudalis
yellowcheek wrasse Halichoeres cyanocephalus
yellowhead wrasse Halichoeres garnoti
clown wrasse Halichoeres maculipinna
puddingwife Halichoeres radiatus
hogfish Lachnolaimus maximus
bluehead wrasse
bluehead wrasses terminal and initial phases
(terminal and initial phases)
Thalassoma bifasciatum
green razorfish Xyrichtys (Hemipteronotus) splendens

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Download a List of Bony Fish Species (440kb pdf) found in the coral cap region of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.


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Small, knobby corals in foreground; boulder of brain coral in background.  Long, fingery branches of purple sponge anchored in knobby corals and standing upright.
   
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