GOT Fish ID
Revised February, 26, 2016 South Carolina Aquarium Dive Opera@ons Arnold Postell Dive Safety Officer / Senior Biologist (843) 579-­‐8536 [email protected] Ryan Yuen Assistant Dive Safety Officer (843) 579-­‐8503 [email protected] 2 It is the mission of the South Carolina
Aquarium (SCA) Dive Team to provide
excellence in animal care and
husbandry, to actively support both the
educational and conservation
endeavors of the SCA, and to provide a
memorable, positive guest experience
to all those who visit our facility.
3 Training Schedule •  PowerPoint Presenta@on >  Statement of Understanding and Quiz 4 Almaco Jack • 
5 Seriola rivoliana Rela@ves: member of the family Caragidae • 
Descrip@on: Their dorsal fin and anal fins are elongated and their outer edges have a definite sickle shape. Generally dusky-­‐colored with faint amber or olive stripes down the sides. Their upper bodied and lower fins are dark brown. • 
Size: Grows up to 35 in Weight: 132 lb • 
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Habitat: Small groups on slopes and off of reefs. Habitat-­‐GOT: • 
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Diet: Diet-­‐GOT: AmberJack (Greater) Seriola dumerili • 
Rela+ves: members of the Jack—Carangidae family • 
Descrip+on: Diagonal band runs from lip, across eye to beginning of dorsal fin. Can lighten when in feeding mode. Silvery; fins may have yellow cast. Oeen have yellowish stripe along mid body. • 
Size: maximum 5½ feet Weight: 40-­‐140 pounds • 
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Habitat: open-­‐water fish; rarely swim over reefs. Oeen in large schools. Habitat-­‐GOT: All levels • 
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Diet: Die-­‐GOT: mackerel, smelt, squid, capelin 6 Banded Rudderfish Seriola zonata 7 • 
Rela@ves: Jack and pompanos • 
Descrip@on: Juveniles are banded ver@cally like pilohish, and follow large objects or animals. Large individuals (over 10 inches) have no bands. • 
Size: Grows up to 30 inches (75 cm) • 
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Habitat: Adults are pelagic or epibenthic and confined to coastal waters over the con@nental shelf. Habitat-­‐GOT: • 
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Diet: Feeds on fishes and shrimps. Diet-­‐GOT: Bar Jack • 
Rela@ves: Member of the Jack and pompanos • 
Descrip@on: dark horizontal bar which runs along the back and down the caudal fin, oeen accompanied by an electric blue stripe immediately below it. Usually in schools which may be spawning groups; occasionally solitary. • 
Size: Grows up to 50 cm • 
Habitat: Common in clear insular areas or in coral reefs off mainland coasts Habitat-­‐GOT: • 
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8 Caranx ruber Diet: Feeds on fishes, shrimps and other invertebrates. Diet-­‐GOT: Barracuda Sphyraena barracuda • 
Rela+ves: Barracuda—Sphyraenidae family • 
Descrip+on: Silver. Long, cylindrical body. Large underslung jaw, pointed teeth. Usually scalered dark blotches. Can darken showing side bands. Dorsal fins widely separated. • 
Size: 1½—3 feet. Maximum 6 feet Weight: up to 100 pounds
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Habitat: Drie around reefs and other habitats. Solitary or in small groups. Open and close mouth to assist respira@on. Habitat-­‐GOT: Upper level of exhibit • 
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Diet: Other fish Diet-­‐GOT: mackerel, smelt, squid 9 Belted Sandfish Serranus subligarius 10 • 
Rela@ves: Member of the Sea bass family • 
Descrip@on: Stubby sea bass with a pointed snout. • 
Size: Grows up to 4 inches (10cm) • 
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Habitat: Occurs from water's edge to at least 18 m depth, oeen in silty water. Habitat-­‐GOT: • 
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Diet: Diet-­‐GOT: Bermuda chub Kyphosus sectatrix • 
Rela@ves: Member of the sea chubs • 
Descrip@on: Gray overall, with faint yellow lines on side and yellow line from corner of mouth to preopercle. • 
Size: Grows up to 50 cm • 
Habitat: Inhabits shallow waters, over turtle grass, sand or rocky bolom and around coral reefs Habitat-­‐GOT: • 
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11 Diet: Feeds on plants, mainly on benthic algae, as well as on small crabs and mollusks Diet-­‐GOT: Black Drum Pogonias cromis • 
Rela+ves: members of the Drum-­‐Sciaenidae family • 
Descrip+on: Dark gray to silvery with large scales; fins blackish; usually have four to five broad dark bars; long chin barbels (whiskers). • 
Size: maximum length about 5 feet Weight: up to 110 pounds • 
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Habitat: Found in depths of 1-­‐60 feet; inhabit sand, mud, rocky boloms oeen near shore lines, piers, docks Habitat-­‐GOT: all levels • 
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Diet: small fish, crustaceans, oysters Diet-­‐GOT: mackerel, squid, capelin, smelt 12 Black Sea Bass Centropris;s striata • 
Rela+ves: member of the Serranidae (sea bass) family • 
Descrip+on: medium sized with blue/black to brown body; centers of scales are white giving appearance of narrow stripes on the sides of the body; female has white area on nape • 
Size: up to 2 feet
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Habitat: seen 6-­‐120 feet; rock jeoes, shallow rocky boloms Habitat-­‐GOT: seen at all levels • 
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Diet: crabs, shrimp, worms, clams, small fish Diet-­‐GOT mackerel, smelt, squid 13 Weight: averages 5 pounds Black@p Shark Carcharhinus limbatus • 
Rela@ves: Member of the Requiem sharks • 
Descrip@on: Dark grey, ashy blue or dusky bronze on back, belly white or yellowish white; a dark band extending rearward along each side to about over origin of pelvic fin; @ps of pelvic fins with a persistent black spot; @ps of dorsal fins, pectoral fins, anal, and lower lobe of caudal fin usually black • 
Size: 5 feet (1.5m) 122.5 kg largest recorded at 8.5 feet • 
Habitat: An inshore and offshore shark found on or adjacent to con@nental and insular shelves. Oeen off river mouths and estuaries, muddy bays, mangrove swamps, lagoons, and coral reef drop-­‐offs Habitat-­‐GOT: • 
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14 Diet: Feeds mainly on pelagic and benthic fishes, also small sharks and rays, cephalopods and crustaceans Diet-­‐GOT: Salmon, Mackerel Blue AngelFish Holacanthus bermudensis • 
Rela@ves: member of the family angelfishes • 
Descrip@on: Soe parts of dorsal and anal fins and caudal fins have wide yellow margins. Dark spot on forehead lacks electric blue ring. Their bodies are compressed and discus-­‐shaped with blunt rounded heads and a single long con@nuous dorsal fin. • 
Size: • 
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Habitat: Inhabits rocky or coral reefs Habitat-­‐GOT: • 
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Diet: Sponges Diet-­‐GOT: 15 Blue runner Caranx crysos • 
Rela@ves: Member of the jack family • 
Descrip@on: bluish green to olive green dorsally, becoming silvery grey to brassy below. elongated, moderately compressed body. • 
Size: 40 cm • 
Habitat: Atlan@c ocean. Inhabits both inshore and offshore environments. Schooling predatory fish. Habitat-­‐GOT: • 
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16 Diet: Feed on fishes, shrimps, and other invertebrates Diet-­‐GOT: Cobia Rachyeentron canadum • 
Rela+ves: sole member of the Rachycentridae family • 
Descrip+on: torpedo shaped body, brownish, elongated fish with stocky body, broad later strip, low and long dorsal/anal fin; lower jaw protrudes slightly • 
Size: up to 6 feet
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Habitat: seen 0-­‐60 feet; coastal to open water, hovers below anchored ships and floa@ng buoys • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: seen at all levels • 
Diet: crabs, fish, squid • 
Diet-­‐GOT mackerel, smelt, squid 17 Weight: 30-­‐100 pounds Crevalle Jack Caranx hippos • 
Rela+ves: member of the Carangidae family (including pompanos) • 
Descrip+on: bluish green to greenish gold back and silvery or yellow belly; black spot on operculum (gill cover) and base of each pectoral •  Size: up to 3½ feet Weight: averages 50 pounds • 
Habitat: open waters 0-­‐130 feet; usually over reefs, swim in schools; may school with Horse-­‐
Eye Jacks • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: seen at all levels • 
Diet: small fish, shrimp, other invertebrates • 
Diet-­‐GOT mackerel, smelt, squid, shrimp 18 Gag Grouper Mycteroperca microlepis • 
Rela+ves: member of Grouper/Seabass-­‐
Serranidae family • 
Descrip+on: pale to dark gray or olive-­‐gray; dusky blotched (marbled effect) markings give body a marbled appearance; pelvic, anal, and caudal fins are blackish with blue outer edges •  Size: maximum 3 feet Weight: up to 50 pounds (average is 25 pounds) • 
Habitat: rocky outcroppings, ledges, reefs; drie near bolom; depths of 20-­‐100 feet • 
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Habitat-­‐GOT: lower por@on of tall window • 
19 Diet: small fish, crustaceans Diet-­‐GOT: smelt, capelin, mackerel Gray Angelfish • 
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20 Pomacanthus arcuatus Rela+ves: Angelfish Pomacanthidae family Descrip+on: Gray body; yellow inner face of pectoral fin. Square-­‐cut tail. Intermediate phase has three pale body bars and one on base of tail. The juvenile is black with three yellow bars on body and one on foretail. Yellow band extends down from forehead and across lips to chin; there is also yellow ring around border of lips. The juvenile has a square-­‐cut tail with white to transparent margin.Uniformly gray to grayish brown with light-­‐edged scales Size:10-­‐18 inches Weight: Habitat: swim about reefs, oeen pairs. Juveniles inhabit shallow patch reefs and grassy areas. May engage in cleaning parasites and debris from larger fish. Habitat GOT: upper level. Oeen seen hiding around coral at large window Diet: crustaceans Diet GOT: shrimp, krill, collards Gray Snapper Lutjanus griseus • 
Rela+ves: member of Snapper-­‐Lutjanidae family • 
Descrip+on: color varies from pale to dark gray or reddish brown; some@mes @nged with olive; dorsal fins oeen have dark borders; snout is long and pointed; dorsal profile of head slightly concave; large pair of canine teeth in upper jaw •  Size: maximum length of 2 feet Weight: up to 10 pounds • 
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Habitat: drie in small schools; inhabit shallow inshore areas, under docks; can be found in depths from 2-­‐60 feet Habitat-­‐GOT: upper reef of shallow window • 
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Diet: crustaceans, small fish Diet-­‐GOT: mackerel, capelin, smelt 21 Gray triggerfish Balistes capriscus • 
Rela@ves: Member of the triggerfish family • 
Descrip@on: Three faint irregular broad dark bars on body; a narrow pale transverse band on chin; small light blue spots on upper half of body and median fins, and irregular short lines ventrally • 
Size: 44 cm • 
Habitat: Inhabits bays, harbors, lagoons, and seaward reefs Habitat-­‐GOT: • 
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22 Diet:Feeds on benthic invertebrates like mollusks and crustaceans Diet-­‐GOT: Graysby Grouper • 
Cephalopholis cruentata Rela@ves: Member of the sea bass family • 
Descrip@on :Opercle with 3 flat spines, middle one the largest and upper spine longer than the lowest. Has 4 contras@ng spots, white or black, along body below dorsal fin base • 
Size: • 
Habitat:Inhabit Thalassia beds and coral reefs. Solitary and secre@ve, they usually stay near hiding places during the day. Habitat-­‐GOT: • 
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23 Diet: Adults feed mainly on fishes, with preference on Chromis mul@lineata, juveniles feed on shrimps. Diet-­‐GOT: Green Moray Eel Gymnothorax funebris • 
Rela+ves: member of Moray-­‐Muraenidae family • 
Descrip+on: Skin is thick, smooth, scaleless; wide mouth; jaw is equipped with sharp teeth; color uniform green to brown •  Size: up to approximately 8 feet Weight: • 
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24 Habitat: seen 10-­‐100 feet; found in all tropical and subtropical seas from 10-­‐100 feet; hides among coral reefs, rocks, crevices with head oeen extended from openings Habitat-­‐GOT: may swim freely; generally seen at bolom of tall window around coral as well as shallow window Diet: crustaceans, octopus, small fish Diet-­‐GOT mackerel, squid Horse-­‐Eye Jack Caranx latus • 
Rela+ve: member of Jack-­‐Carangidae family • 
Descrip+on: yellow tail fins; pectoral fin clear; silvery; usually dark @ps on dorsal and upper tail fin; large head; blunt snout •  Size: maximum 2½ feet
Weight: up to 24 pounds • 
Habitat: 0-­‐60 feet; open water over reefs; schools. • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: seen at every level • 
Diet: shrimp and other invertebrates • 
Diet-­‐GOT: krill, shrimp mackerel, smelt, capelin 25 Loggerhead Sea Turtle CareDa careDa • 
Rela+ves: Member of the Cheloniidae family • 
Descrip+on: reddish brown colora@on; large massive head; usually 5 costal (along the center of the carapace) plates with the first one touching the nuchal (along the nape of neck) •  Size: up to 4 feet Weight: up to 350 pounds • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: all levels • 
Diet: crustaceans, mollusks, jellyfish, sea grasses • 
Diet-­‐GOT mackerel, collards, gel food 26 Margate Haemulon album 27 • 
Rela@ves: Member of the Grunt family • 
Descrip@on: Usual color phase dull silvery, the fins largely gray; the dorsal and caudal fins of subadults and the back above a line from dorsal base to lower margin of caudal fin are oeen blackish • 
Size: • 
Habitat: Inhabits seagrass beds, sand flats, coral reefs, and wrecks • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: • 
Diet: Benthic invertebrates • 
Diet-­‐GOT: Nurse Shark Ginglymostoma cirratum • 
Rela+ves: member of the Carpet Shark-­‐
Rhincodon@dae family • 
Descrip+on: two barbells on upper lip; two dorsal fins of nearly equal size set far back; small mouth; color varies from gray to yellow-­‐brown; short snout; movement is sluggish. Behind each eye is a spiracle, an organ that takes in water to be used for breathing while res@ng on the bolom. Teeth are serrated and used for crushing shellfish. Bolom dweller. Size: up to 14 feet Weight: • 
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28 Habitat: found in waters 12-­‐100 feet; oeen seen lying on sand, under ledges and overhangs Habitat-­‐GOT: lower level-­‐ becomes ac@ve and moves throughout during feeding @me Diet: sea urchins, crustaceans, small fish Diet-­‐GOT: mackerel, squid, smelt Ocean triggerfish Canthidermis sufflamen 29 • 
Rela@ves: Member of the genus triggerfishes • 
Descrip@on: Soe dorsal and anal fins very elevated anteriorly, the longest rays nearly as long as head, brownish gray with a large dark brown spot at base of pectoral fins • 
Size: 25.6 inches • 
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Habitat:Common near drop-­‐offs of seaward reefs, oeen associated with Sargassum. Habitat-­‐GOT: • 
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Diet: Large zooplankton Diet-­‐GOT: Shrimp, krill Permit Trachinotus falcatus • 
Rela+ves: member of Jack-­‐Carangidae family • 
Descrip+on: silver; oeen have shades of iridescent blue on head and back; belly oeen yellowish; @p of dorsal fin dark; occasionally dark circular area behind base of pectoral fin •  Size: maximum under 4 feet Weight: 25-­‐50 pounds • 
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Habitat: up to 100 feet; swim over reefs to feed, generally solitary Habitat-­‐GOT: seen at every level • 
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Diet: crustaceans, urchins Diet-­‐GOT: smelt, mackerel, capelin, krill Pompano (Florida) Trachinotus carolinus • 
Rela+ves: member of the Jack – Carangidae family • 
Descrip+on: black-­‐bluish gray or bluish-­‐green; sides silvery; belly silvery; blunt snout; 1st dorsal fin has 6 short spines •  Size: up to 1½ feet Weight: 3-­‐8 pounds • 
Habitat: shallow water along sandy beaches • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: all levels • 
Diet: mollusks, crustaceans • 
Diet-­‐GOT: smelt, krill, gel food, shrimp 31 Porcupinefish Diodon hystrix • 
Rela+ves: Diodon@dae family (spiny puffers) • 
Descrip+on: large bodied fish; olive to brown back with shading to white on belly; black spots on fins and body; large eyes; cheeks have two brown ver@cal bars • 
Size: up to 3 feet
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Habitat: seen from 10-­‐60 feet; cave openings and reef boloms • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: all levels • 
Diet: crustaceans, mollusks, shrimp • 
Diet-­‐GOT shrimp, smelt, capelin 32 Weight: Porkfish Anisotremus virginicus • 
Rela+ve: member of the Grunt-­‐Haemulidae family • 
Descrip+on: alterna@ng silvery blue and yellow stripes; two bold black diagonal bands on head; blunt snout; small mouth •  Size: maximum 14 inches
Weight: • 
Habitat: 10-­‐60 feet; murky coastal waters and muddy bays; alracted to ar@ficial reefs • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: rocky area of tall window • 
Diet: invertebrates • 
Diet-­‐GOT: shrimp, krill, collards 33 Queen triggerfish Balistes vetula • 
Rela+ves: member of the Balis@dae family (leatherjacks) • 
Descrip+on: blue to gold body; yellow chin and chest; blue ring around the caudal peduncle; blue lips; gold/blue lines radia@ng from the eyes; two blue stripes from the pectoral fins to the snout • 
Size: up to 2 feet
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Habitat: seen from 10-­‐50 feet; reef tops; coral rubble; grass beds Habitat-­‐GOT: mostly seen around coral of shallow or large window • 
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34 Weight: Diet: sea urchins, barnacles, mussels, conch, starfish, octopus, coral Diet-­‐GOT: smelt, krill, gel food, shrimp Rainbow runner Elaga;s bipinnulata • 
Rela@ves: Member of the Jack family-­‐Carangidae • 
Descrip@on:Color dark olive green or blue above, white below; 2 narrow light blue bands on sides with a yellowish band between them; fins olive or yellowish. • 
Size: common length 90 cm weight: 40 kg • 
Habitat: Found in oceanic and coastal waters, generally near the surface over reefs or some@mes far from the coast Habitat-­‐GOT: all levels • 
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35 Diet: Feed on invertebrates (larger crustaceans of the zooplankton) and small fishes Diet-­‐GOT: smelt, shrimp, squid, mackerel Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus • 
Rela+ves: member of the Sciaenidae (drum) family • 
Descrip+on: long, bronze body; dark spot on caudalpeduncle; no barbels on chin •  Size: up to 5 feet Weight: up to 92 pounds • 
Habitat: shallow water along edges of bays, @dal creeks, oyster reefs • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: all levels • 
Diet: mollusks, crustaceans, small fish • 
Diet-­‐GOT: smelt, shrimp, squid, mackerel, capelin, 36 Red Grouper Epinephelus morio • 
Rela+ves: member of Grouper/Seabass Serranidae family • 
Descrip+on: variable earthtones, usually reddish brown with small, scalered whi@sh blotches; large mouth •  Size: maximum 3 feet Weight: up to 50 pounds • 
Habitat: 6-­‐400 feet; inhabits reefs and margins of sea grass beds; rest on bolom • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: lower por@on of tall window and cave area • 
Diet: small fish, squid, crustaceans • 
Diet-­‐GOT: mackerel, capelin, squid 37 Sandbar Shark Carcharhinus plumbeus • 
Rela+ves: member of the Carcharhinidae family (includes bull, black @p, @ger and reef sharks) • 
Descrip+on: drab gray to brown in color, tall first dorsal fin which is located far forward on the body; large pectoral fins serrated upper teeth; short snout •  Size: up to 8 feet Weight: average male-­‐100-­‐200 pounds—female 150 pounds • 
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38 Habitat: muddy coastal areas, bays and estuaries; typically found in water shallower than 60 feet Habitat-­‐GOT: all levels Diet: skates, rays, squid, crustaceans, smaller fish Diet-­‐GOT: salmon, mackerel, tuna Sand Tiger Shark Carcharias taurus • 
Rela+ves: member of the Odontaspididae family • 
Descrip+on: 5 pairs of gill slits, an anal fin; a first dorsal fin placed far back on the trunk with a 2nd dorsal about equal in size; pectoral fin behind 5th gill opening; coloring is light gray-­‐brown above, becoming paler on belly; darker spots behind pectoral fins on trunk and fins; long tricuspid teeth •  Size: up to 10 feet Weight: up to 640 pounds • 
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39 Habitat: on or near bolom in shallow inshore waters Habitat-­‐GOT: can be seen at every level throughout the day Diet: other fish Diet-­‐GOT: tuna, mackerel Scamp Mycteroperca phenax • 
Rela+ves: Grouper/Seabas-­‐Serranidae family • 
Descrip+on: Light tan to brown. Can pale or darken drama@cally. Tend to form broken stripes and rectangular blotches, giving a marbled appearance. •  Size: 1—1½ feet, maximum 2 feet Weight: up to 28 pounds • 
Habitat: drie above reefs; oeen in openings of recesses in reefs. • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: lower level of exhibit • 
Diet: smaller fish, crustaceans, squid • 
40 Diet-­‐GOT: smelt, mackerel, shrimp, squid Sergeant major Abudefduf saxa;lis 41 • 
Rela@ves: Member of the Linnaeus family • 
Descrip@on: Juveniles are common in @de pools while adults found over shallow reef tops. Marine, reef-­‐associated, non-­‐migratory. • 
Size: Common length 15 cm Weight: • 
Habitat: Atlan@c ocean, caribbean reefs. • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: can be seen at every level throughout the day • 
Diet: Algae, small crustaceans and fish • 
Diet-­‐GOT: shrimp, mackerel, smelt, capelin, krill Sheepshead Archosargus probatocehalus • 
Rela+ves: member of the porgy-­‐aridae family • 
Descrip+on: five to six dark, diagonal body bars. Coloring is whi@sh to yellowish silver; back may be olive to brown •  Size: up to 3 feet Weight: 2-­‐12 pounds • 
Habitat: found in depths from 3-­‐40 feet; rocky areas, shipwrecks, dock pilings • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: can be seen at every level throughout the day • 
Diet: crabs, mollusks • 
42 Diet-­‐GOT: shrimp, mackerel, smelt, capelin, krill Snook Centropomus undecimalis • 
Rela+ves: member of Centropomidae family • 
Descrip+on: obvious black lateral line; silvery olive; elongate body; pointed snout; lower jaw projects well beyond the upper •  Size: up to 4½ feet Weight: up to 53 pounds • 
Habitat: found in depths of 3-­‐35 feet; coastal waters, lagoons, estuaries • 
Habitat-­‐Got: primarily lower level • 
Diet: crustaceans, small fish • 
Diet-­‐GOT: mackerel, gel food, smelt, capelin 43 Spadefish Chaetodipterus faber • 
Rela+ves: Spadefish—Ephippidae • 
Descrip+on: Silver; may turn gray. Bars can pale drama@cally. •  Size: 1—1½ feet, maximum 3 feet Weight: • 
Habitat: usually swim in small schools in open water, although occasionally in huge schools. • 
Habitat GOT: all levels • 
Diet: crustaceans • 
Diet-­‐GOT: squid, mackerel, smelt, capelin 44 Spolail Pinfish Diplodus holbrookii • 
Rela@ves: Member of the Sparidae family • 
Descrip@on: Spolail pinfish are almost totally gray in color, with a large, black spot on the distal end of the caudal peduncle. School in small numbers, but generally mix with many other species. • 
Size: Common length 25.0 cm • 
Habitat: Exclusive to the western Atlan@c ocean. Common to shallow waters, near coasts, such as bays and harbors. Habitat-­‐GOT: mostly seen around coral of large window • 
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45 Diet: Small invertebrates Diet-­‐GOT: : smelt, krill, gel food, shrimp Squirrelfish Holocentrus adscensionis • 
Rela+ves: member of the Holocentridae family • 
Descrip+on: reddish with silvery stripes; first dorsal fin yellow; large eyes • 
Size: up to 16 inches
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Habitat: seen from 4-­‐40 feet; reefs and rocky areas • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: mostly seen around coral of large window; very shy • 
Diet: crabs, shrimp, worms, snails • 
Diet-­‐GOT: smelt, krill, gel food, shrimp 46 Tarpon Megalops atlan;cus • 
Rela+ves: Tarpon—Elopidae • 
Descrip+on: Shiny, large ‘stainless steel’ scales; upturned mouth; Stout body. •  Size: 2—4 feet, maximum 8 feet Weight: average 300 pounds • 
Habitat: extend 90 foot depths drie in canyons and secluded areas. Normally school during the day. • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: generally stay near lower por@on of exhibit • 
Diet: crustaceans • 
47 Diet-­‐GOT: shrimp, smelt, mackerel Tomtate Haemulon aurolineatum • 
Rela+ves: Grunt—Haemulidae • 
Descrip+on: Silvery, white to tan body; prominent yellow to bronze stripe runs from snout through eye to base of tail; another thinner stripe on back; black spot on base of tail (not always present.) • 
Size: 5—8 inches, maximum 10 inches Weight: • 
Habitat: inhabit reefs, sea grass beds and sand flats. Habitat-­‐GOT: lower por@on of tall window, oeen hides in cave area • 
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48 Diet: Diet-­‐GOT: smelt, capelin, krill Tripletail Lobotes surinamensis • 
Rela+ves: Tripletail—Lobo@dae • 
Descrip+on: Lightly molled; vary from cream to yellow-­‐brown, greenish brown, gray and black. •  Size: 1½—2½ feet, maximum 3½ feet Weight: • 
Habitat: sluggish. Prefer shaded areas under floats of sargassum, docks, buoys and anchored lines. • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: upper level • 
Diet: crustaceans, small fish • 
Diet-­‐GOT: smelt, squid, mackerel, capelin 49 Vermillion Snapper Rhomboplites aurorubens • 
Rela+ves: member of Snapper-­‐Lutjanidae family • 
Descrip+on: light red to salmon upper head, body, dorsal and tail fins; short, diagonal rows of spots on upper half of body; protruding lower jaw; shallow forked tail •  Size: maximum 2½ feet
Weight: averages 6 pounds • 
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50 Habitat: 90-­‐200 feet; inhabits deep reefs; banks and rocky outcroppings Habitat-­‐GOT: all levels Diet: crustaceans, mollusks Diet-­‐GOT: smelt, mackerel, capelin, shrimp, squid White Grunt Haemulon plumieri • 
Rela+ves: member of Grunt-­‐Haemulidae family • 
Descrip+on: head stripes yellow and bluish silver; large scales on body form checkered palern of yellow and bluish silver; pearly iridescence; long snout; pointed mouth •  Size: maximum 18 inches Weight: averages 2 pounds • 
Habitat: 12-­‐40 feet; drie in small schools on reef, near drop-­‐offs; grass beds • 
Habitat-­‐GOT: rocky area of tall window • 
Diet-­‐GOT: smelt; mackerel; shrimp, squid, capelin 51 Yellowtail Snapper Ocyurus chrysurus • 
Rela+ves: member of Snapper-­‐Lutjanidae family • 
Descrip+on: brilliant yellow mid-­‐body stripe and tail; silvery to white, oeen @nged with blue; my have yellow spots on upper body; tail deeply forked; head/mouth rela@vely small; no canine teeth •  Size: maximum 2½ feet
Weight: averages 3-­‐7 pounds • 
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Habitat: 10-­‐60 feet; swim alone or in loose schools above reefs Habitat-­‐GOT: seen at all levels • 
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Diet: Diet-­‐GOT: 52 53