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Getting the Most Out of Your Underwater Experience:
An introduction to identifying the fish, creatures, and coral of the Virgin Islands
Part I: Fish
Brian Naess, Research AssociateInstitute for the Environment, UNC-Chapel Hill
Credits
• All photos, except where noted, taken by ENST 259 instructors: Brian Naess, Liz Naess, Andrew George
• All identifications for class photos based on the 3 book series by Paul Humann and Ned Deloach: Reef Fish Identification, Reef Creature Identification, and Reef Coral Identification of Florida, Caribbean, and Bahamas published by New World Publications, Inc.
3 Main Divisions
• Fish – sharks, eels, rays• Creatures – crabs, shrimp, clams, starfish,
anemones, lobsters, squid, octopus, worms, cucumbers, tunicates, sponges, urchins
• Coral – hard and soft varieties, algae
Fish
* Images scanned from Reef Fish Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas by Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach
Focus on One Fish at a Time!
What to Look For
1a) Shape1b) Distinctive Traits2) Color3) Behavior4) Location5) Size
“Seven Dookies Came Back Looking Sad”
Fish Anatomy
• General body shape• Head – slope of head/nape, mouth• Tail – forked, fan, square or round• Dorsal fin(s) – tall, short, spiked or
feathered• Pectoral – large, small, obvious• Don’t be fooled by:
– Some fish are shaped differently in juvenile stages!
Shape
Distinctive Markings/Physical Properties
• Bars, stripes, spots, “makeup”, etc.
• Unique dorsal fins or other appendages
• Big eyes• Don’t be fooled by:
– Many fish can change colors instantly, including adding bars by darkening certain areas and lightening others
– Some times the distinctive mark can be quite difficult to see
Color
• Silvery?• Can be as distinctive as a marking or
physical property• Don’t be fooled by:
– I repeat! Fish can change colors instantly!– Juvenile coloring can be drastically different
from adults
Behavior
• Bold? Shy? Protective?• In the open or under cover?• Schooling• Common associations• Night/Day• Feeding• Don’t be fooled by:
– Fish are TERRIFIED of YOU! They may take a while to get used to you.
Location• Habitat
– Coral– Sea grass– Sand/Rubble– Blue water
• Depth– Shallow swimmers– Mid-reef– Reef’s edge/drop-off– Bottom dwellers
• Don’t be fooled by:– Fish swim!
Size
• Many species only reach a given size. If deciding between two possibilities, size may help decide the matter
• Juveniles complicate the matter• Don’t be fooled by:
– Things look bigger underwater!
Quiz
French grunt*
Distinctive features: Yellow stripes below lateral line set on diagonal.
Description: Yellow stripes on a white to bluish or yellowish silver background. Stripes above lateral line are horizontal. Fins yellow.
Habitat and Behavior: Prefer coral reefs. Often congregate in small to large schools, which may number in the hundreds, in the shade of bottom formations.
* Description taken from Reef Fish Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas by Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach. Page 93
Quiz
Blackbar soldierfish*
Distinctive features: Black bar behind head.
Description: Bright red to, on rare occasions, pale red. Red dorsal fin has white marks at tips and a few along base. White borders on leading edge of ventral, anal, rear dorsal and tail fins.
Habitat and Behavior: Hide in dark recesses. Often gather in large to huge schools.
* Description taken from Reef Fish Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas by Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach. Page 242
Quiz
Slippery dick (not quite Terminal Phase)*
Distinctive features: Small green and yellow bicolored spot above pectoral fin. Dark triangular corners on tail.
Description: Shades of green. Colors and markings vary greatly.
Habitat and Behavior: Constantly swim about reefs, adjacent sand areas and grass beds.
* Description taken from Reef Fish Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas by Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach. Page 222
Quiz
* Description taken from Reef Fish Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas by Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach. Page 380
Trumpetfish*
Distinctive features: Long, thin body. Trumpet-like mouth.
Description: Three color variation: the most common is brown to reddish brown; can be blue-gray with purpulish head or bright yellow; also able to pale or darken. Have pale lines, scattered small black spots, and a black streak on upper jaw.
Habitat and Behavior: Inhabit coral reefs. Change color, and position their bodies to blend with background. Often drift in vertical position, head down, paralleling stalk of sea rods. May attempt to camouflage themselves by hovering just above larger fish as they move about the reef.
Photo by Jaime Neill
Quiz
* Description taken from Reef Fish Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas by Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach. Page 398
Scrawled filefish*
Distinctive features: Covered with blue to blue-green spots, irregular lines and black dots. Elongate body with long, broom-like tail.
Description: Vary from pale gray or tan to dark olive-brown. Can darken or pale dramatically. Tail often closed and limp.
Habitat and Behavior: Inhabit coral reefs. Drift over reefs, often in open water.
Quiz
Chain moray*
Distinctive features: Pale yellowish to bright yellow chain-like markings.
Description: Heavy body. Dark brown to black, with irregular, often interconnected, bright yellow bars. Yellow eyes.
Habitat and Behavior: Prefer shallow, clear-water reefs and rocky shores. Hide during the day in recesses; heads often extend from openings.
* Description taken from Reef Fish Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas by Paul Humann and Ned DeLoach. Page 430
Tips for Productive Snorkeling
• Good fitting mask• Take your time• Reefs are 3D – swim down and explore• Don’t use fins in shallow water• Stay horizontal in water less than 15’ deep• Look for overhangs, openings, caves• Focus on one thing at a time• Spend some time in the shallows• Little fish are just as cool as big fish!
Questions?
Back
Flat needlefish
Banded butterflyfish
Yellowtail snapper
Spotted trunkfish
Back
Sergeant major
Dog snapper
Bar jacks
Orangespotted filefish
Back
Great barracuda
Striped parrotfish
Red hind
Balloonfish
BackDusky squirrelfish
Yellowtail parrotfishHoneycomb cowfish
BackBarbfish
Nurse shark
Gray angelfish
BackRosy blenny
Stoplight parrotfish
Smooth trunkfish
BackBanded butterflyfish
French and bluestriped gruntQueen triggerfish
BackSpotted drum
Highhat
Yellow goatfish
Pompano
Back
Glasseye snapperReef squirrelfish
Back
Mutton snapper
Mutton snapper
Back
Bluehead wrasse (juv.)
Blue tang & ocean surgeonfish
Silversides
Back
Spotted eagle ray & sharksucker
Blue tang & ocean surgeonfish
Whitefin sharksucker
BackWhite mullet
Saucereye porgyCero mackerel
BackBlue and Brown chromis
Redband parrotfishYellowtail snapper
Back
Red hind
Orangespotted filefish
Back
Trunkfish
BackYellowhead jawfish
Palometa
Yellowfin mojarra
Southern stingray
BackPeacock flounder
Sand Diver
Rock beauty
Bluehead
Back
Glassy sweeper
Back
Flat needlefish
Back
Spinyhead blenny
Getting the Most Out of Your Underwater Experience:Credits3 Main DivisionsFishFocus on One Fish at a Time!What to Look ForSlide Number 7Slide Number 8Distinctive Markings/Physical PropertiesColorBehaviorLocationSizeQuizQuizQuizQuizQuizQuizTips for Productive SnorkelingQuestions?Slide Number 22Slide Number 23Slide Number 24Slide Number 25Slide Number 26Slide Number 27Slide Number 28Slide Number 29Slide Number 30Slide Number 31Slide Number 32Slide Number 33Slide Number 34Slide Number 35Slide Number 36Slide Number 37Slide Number 38Slide Number 39Slide Number 40Slide Number 41Slide Number 42