Orange Parrotfish?

[trigfunctions]

We saw this diving around 30' depth east of Oakland Park Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. It was bright orange with white "saddles" on its underside. It was about 10" long and not moving very much under a ledge. Anyone recognize it?

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=80627

 

[archman]

Some type of priacanthid, perhaps? Heteropriacanthus cruentatus.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Looks like a glasseye snapper.

 

[knotical]

But does the two-part dorsal fin fit with Heteropriacanthus cruentatus / glasseye snapper or priacanthids in general? Or is that a misplaced pectoral fin?

 

[coachrenz]

The dorsal fin is towards the bottom of the photo. The white blotches are the dorsal side of the fish.

 

[knotical]

The dorsal fin is towards the bottom of the photo. The white blotches are the dorsal side of the fish.

Wow, do I feel silly. (Not for the first time.)
Thank you.

I do believe Archman was right again (as usual).
Perhaps a dying glasseye snapper.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Dorsal fin towards the bottom? I thought the dorsal fin was on the top of the fish.
To me, it looks like the pectoral fin is sticking out on the off side of the fish.

 

[archman]

Dorsal fin towards the bottom? I thought the dorsal fin was on the top of the fish.

You are correct. Except that this fish is upside down and slightly tilted.

To me, it looks like the pectoral fin is sticking out on the off side of the fish.

If you mean the fin on "top" in the photo, you are also correct.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Thanks for the clarification. I can see it now that it is upside down. The lateral line should have been a clue (duh!!)(this monitor is a bit screwy, when I see it at work on another monitor, I am sure it will be more obvious).
I would say that it definaltey is a glasseye snapper. Those "stripes" are indictive of that species.

 

[trigfunctions]

Good work everyone - it was definitely a Glasseye snapper. I saw that in the book and thought it looked similar but the stripes were on the bottom instead of the top. Now I realize the picture is upside down -or, I should say the picture is right-side up but I was upside down when I took it!
Thanks everyone!