Need help with a few IDs...

[doctormike]

I'm adding some new images to my fish database, and a few of these have me stumped (or at least, unsure enough so that I don't want to guess at an ID that I'm not confident about).

Anyone have any suggestions for these? http://www.rothschilddesign.com/fish_id/

Thanks!

Mike

 

[T.C.]

01- Smallmouth Bass for sure. Eye color and Jaw Position define it. Smallmouths can color change like many other fish.

02- Probably a White Crappie, based on the lack of other color and the body stripe; most likely a juvenile.

03- Walleye for sure. The white tip on the bottom of the tail is the 100% dead giveaway.

04- Body shape leads me to say Whitespotted Soapfish

05-I’m stumped. Creolefish???

06- Black Grouper for sure. The tail coloration is a dead giveaway.

07- Probably a White Margate...based on the body shape and lack of other identifying features.

08- Hairy Blenny. The spot on the check is the key identifying feature.

09- Juvenile Sailor's Choice; based on the stripe pattern and the spot at the base of the tail.

10- Southern Species Saddled Bass; based on body shape combined with body bars.

11- Same as 10. Southern Species Saddled Bass.

12- Parrotfish. Probably Greenblotched, juvenile. Parrotfish are hard to ID, because they change color with different phases.

13- Bridled Goby. Note the spot behind the eye, the pattern of the eye itself, and the white "bridle" coming from the mouth.

14- Correct, most likely a Saddled Blenny variant.

15- Spotted Scorpionfish. You can see some of the spots on the pectoral fins that give it its name; just behind the gill cover.

16- Definitely a Scorpionfish. Frogfish have their pectoral fins formed into more fleshy "walking stub legs". Species: most likely Spotted Scorpionfish, based on pectoral fin colors and pattern.

17- Tough one. Probably a female yellow jawfish.

(You're lucky I brought my fish ID book to Staff Duty tonight ) That was fun. Thanks for letting me play!

 

[doctormike]

01- Smallmouth Bass for sure. Eye color and Jaw Position define it. Smallmouths can color change like many other fish.

...

(You're lucky I brought my fish ID book to Staff Duty tonight ) That was fun. Thanks for letting me play!

AWESOME! Thanks so much...! You really are good at this...


Here's the rest of my database, will update soon.


I have a good friend who doesn't dive much, but who is as obsessive about fishing as I am about diving - he thought that #2 might be a juvenile pumpkinseed, which seems like a good possibility looking at images of those. Also, there are a lot of adult pumpkinseeds at the quarry.

I'm pretty sure that 4 isn't a soapfish, I don't think that they make it that far north, and it doesn't have the same sharp face that I have seen on soapfish. I recall someone giving a lecture about fish local to the NYC area who said that this pattern is seen in females during breeding of some common local fish (can't remember which one he mentioned - looks more like a tautog than a black sea bass).

Saddled Bass is a good thought for 10/11 (same fish, different angle) looking at the coloration, but those angled stripes look VERY much like a french grunt. In fact, the whole fish looks like a french grunt with some saddles... Would say a hybrid, but grunt are more closely related to snappers than bass, so I'm still not sure.

---------- Post added April 5th, 2014 at 09:44 AM ----------

09- Juvenile Sailor's Choice; based on the stripe pattern and the spot at the base of the tail.

This one I don't think is correct...

1) Not a juvenile, looks full grown (maybe a transitional form, but still not sure).

2) Humann and DeLoach has four pages of juvenile grunts (10 species) and they all have longitudinal stripes extending from the most past the eye to the tail. Also, lots have that tail spot (french, tomtate, caesar, bluestriped, sailor's choice, white, and spanish), only a few don't (smallmouth, striped and cottonwick). None of them have those diagonal stripes, which I have only really seen on french grunts, although the white grunt juvenile has them on the lower body...

The mystery continues!

M

 

[T.C.]

I have a good friend who doesn't dive much, but who is as obsessive about fishing as I am about diving - he thought that #2 might be a juvenile pumpkinseed, which seems like a good possibility looking at images of those. Also, there are a lot of adult pumpkinseeds at the quarry.

Ok, then, I'll change to juv. Pumpkinseed. When I checked their website, they didn't list any Pumpkinseeds in their puddle.

I'm pretty sure that 4 isn't a soapfish, I don't think that they make it that far north, and it doesn't have the same sharp face that I have seen on soapfish.

Soapfish do make it that far north, to Maine in fact. I believe it may be a Soapfish, maybe a local variant. I have not dove your area, though.

Saddled Bass is a good thought for 10/11 (same fish, different angle) looking at the coloration, but those angled stripes look VERY much like a french grunt. In fact, the whole fish looks like a french grunt with some saddles... Would say a hybrid, but grunt are more closely related to snappers than bass, so I'm still not sure.

I don't know, but fish do change colors dramatically, and especially when courting/spawning. I've learned not to let a odd pattern throw an ID till I've found a better fit, and I still don't have a better fit.

T

This one I don't think is correct...

1) Not a juvenile, looks full grown (maybe a transitional form, but still not sure)

Hmm...Probably a transitional Sailor's Choice.

I discarded the others because the all display other features and coloration, mostly yellow that is absent from this fish. I still say a juvenile SC transitioning to Adult.

 

[doctormike]

Soapfish do make it that far north, to Maine in fact. I believe it may be a Soapfish, maybe a local variant. I have not dove your area, though.

OK, will check that out... you may be right..

I don't know, but fish do change colors dramatically, and especially when courting/spawning. I've learned not to let a odd pattern throw an ID till I've found a better fit, and I still don't have a better fit.

That's true!

THmm...Probably a transitional Sailor's Choice.

I discarded the others because the all display other features and coloration, mostly yellow that is absent from this fish. I still say a juvenile SC transitioning to Adult.

Sounds reasonable.



I do have a contact in the department of ichthyology at the University of Florida... maybe I'll run the tough ones past him...!

 

[T.C.]

Well, what do you need me for? Again, thanks for sharing. Helped pass an hour of Staff Duty last night.

 

[Steve_C]

There are a number of members of the sunfish family. A crappie has a more pointed mouth. So 2 is not a crappie

I have seen a number of soapfish on wrecks and ledges in NC. They try to hide and are often in nooks and crannies.

 

[doctormike]

Well, what do you need me for? Again, thanks for sharing. Helped pass an hour of Staff Duty last night.

I need you because this is more fun with scubaboard friends!




---------- Post added April 5th, 2014 at 09:57 PM ----------

There are a number of members of the sunfish family. A crappie has a more pointed mouth. So 2 is not a crappie

I have seen a number of soapfish on wrecks and ledges in NC. They try to hide and are often in nooks and crannies.

Thanks... do you agree that this one looks like a soapfish?