BONY FISH SPECIES

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	Holacanthus ciliaris
townsend angelfish (hybrid of blue & queen angelfish)	Holacanthus townsendi
rock beauty	Holacanthus tricolor
french angelfish (juvenile)	Pomacanthus paru

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Barracuda List

Barracudas

Common Name	Scientific Name
great barracuda	Sphyraena barracuda

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Bigeye List

Bigeyes

Common Name	Scientific Name
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	Hypsoblennius invemar
redlip blenny	Ophioblennius atlanticus
seaweed blenny (yellow 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	Acanthostracion (Lactophrys) polygonia
scrawled cowfish	Acanthostracion (Lactophrys) quadricornis
smooth trunkfish (juvenile)	Lactophrys triqueter
golden smooth trunkfish	Lactophrys triqueter

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Butterflyfish List

Butterflyfishes

Common Name	Scientific Name
foureye butterflyfish	Chaetodon capistratus
spotfin butterfly	Chaetodon ocellatus
reef butterfly	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	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	Phaeoptyx pigmentaria

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Chub List

Chubs

Common Name	Scientific Name
Bermuda/yellow 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	Abudefduf saxatilis
blue chromis	Chromis cyanea
yellowtail reefish	Chromis enchrysura
sunshinefish	Chromis insolata
brown chromis	Chromis multilineata
purple reefish	Chromis scotti
yellowtail damselfish	Microspathodon chrysurus
longfin damselfish	Stegastes diencaeus
dusky damselfish (juvenile)	Stegastes fuscus
bicolor damsel	Stegastes (Pomacentrus) partitus
threespot damselfish	Stegastes (Pomacentrus) planifrons
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	Equetus punctatus
highhat	Pareques (Equetus) acuminatus
cubbyu	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	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	Mulloidichthys martinicus
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 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	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	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	Amblycirrhitus pinos

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Jack List

Jacks

Common Name	Scientific Name
African pompano	Alectis ciliaris
yellow jack	Carangoides (Caranx) bartholomaei
bar jack	Carangoides (Caranx) ruber
blue runner	Caranx crysos
crevalle jack	Caranx hippos
horse-eye jack	Caranx latus
black jack	Caranx lugubris
rainbow runner	Elagatis bipinnulata
lookdown	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	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	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	Gymnothorax miliaris
spotted moray	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 (terminal phase)	Scarus vetula
greenblotch parrotfish	Sparisoma atomarium
redband parrotfish	Sparisoma aurofrenatum
redtail parrotfish	Sparisoma chrysopterum
bucktooth parrotfish	Sparisoma radians
stoplight parrotfish (terminal 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	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	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	Cephalopholis cruentata (Epinephelus cruen)
coney (bicolor variation)	Cephalopholis fulva (Epinephelus fulvus)
marbled grouper	Dermatolepis (Epinephelus) inermis
rock hind	Epinephelus adscensionis
yellowedge grouper	Epinephelus flavolimbatus
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 (juvenile)	Mycteroperca interstitialis
scamp	Mycteroperca phenax
comb grouper	Mycteroperca rubra
tiger grouper	Mycteroperca tigris
yellowfin grouper (juvenile)	Mycteroperca venenosa
creolefish	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	Lutjanus griseus
dog snapper	Lutjanus jocu
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	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	Holocentrus adscensionis
longspine squirrelfish	Holocentrus rufus
blackbar soldierfish	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	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	Malacanthus plumieri

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Triggerfish List

Triggerfishes

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

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Trumpetfish List

Trumpetfish

Common Name	Scientific Name
trumpetfish	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	Bodianus pulchellus
Spanish hogfish (smaller adult) (juvenile)	Bodianus rufus
creole wrasse	Clepticus parrae
slippery dick	Halichoeres bivittatus
Mardis Gras wrasse (terminal phase) (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 (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.