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  • body high, very compressed
    forehead steep, rounded
    D & A: high front lobes, no rear finlets
    Alectis ciliaris, African pompano
    LL: spiny scales - tail base only
    juvenile: front D & A = filaments, pelvics long
  • body plain, yellowish; fins yellow
    Caranx bartholomaei, Yellow jack
    18-21 lower gill rakers
  • elongate
    operculum - black spot
    C tips black
    Caranx crysos, Blue runner
    LL scutes 46-56
  • oblong
    operculum - black spot
    pectoral: black blotch
    Caranx hippos, Crevalle jack
    chest & pectoral base scaleless
    LL scutes 23-25
  • eye large
    D lobe black
    rear LL scutes black
    C yellow
    Caranx latus, Horse-eye jack
    LL scutes 32-39
  • deep, compressed
    head profile steep, angular
    dark grey; fins & LL scutes black
    lobes D & A: long
    Caranx lugubris, Black jack
  • blue stripe: along top back to lower C lobe, with
    Caranx ruber, Bar jack
    31-38 lower gill rakers
  • very compressed
    lower profile very convex
    D & A: low, no finlets behind
    upper tail base - black blotch
    Chloroscombrus chrysurus, Atlantic bumper
  • throat membrane white
    straight part LL : 19-33 scales + 23-32 scutes
    LL branch - nape only
    C yellow-green
    Decapterus macarellus, Mackerel scad
    top jaw: end edge straight, angled forward below
    1 finlet after D & A
  • 1-14 dark spots on curved LL
    mouth membrane not white
    straight part LL : 0-2 scales + 37-56 scutes
    LL branch - nape only
    C amber/dusky
    top jaw: end edge concave above, rounded below
    1 finlet after D & A
  • mouth membrane clear/dark
    tip top jaw hooked
    straight part LL: 0-8 normal scales + 31-39 scute
    LL branch - nape only
    edges Ds, C & pectoral: red
    Decapterus tabl, Redtail scad
    top jaw rear end: straight
    1 finlet after D & A
    edge operculum fine serrations
  • elongate
    snout pointed, mouth small
    D & A: 1 finlet behind
    Elagatis bipinnulata, Rainbow runner
    side: yellow stripe + blue edges
    LL: no scutes
  • body deep
    yellow + 7-11 dark bars
    Gnathanodon speciosus, Golden jack, Golden trevally
    lips thick, fleshy
    adults - no teeth
  • oval
    C yellow, top tip black
    juv: operculum dark blotch, body - bars
    D & A: no finlets behind
    Hemicaranx amblyrhynchus, Bluntnose jack
    both jaws: 1 row comblike teeth
    pectorals > head
    LL: straight part with scutes
  • elongate
    head & body - 6 black bars,
    C black + wide white stripes
    tail base: long keel
    Naucrates ductor, the Pilotfish
  • D1 IV
    Oligoplites palometa, Maracaibo leatherjack
    lower jaw not expanded, weakly convex lower profile
    lower gill rakers 11-14
    upper front teeth: band of simple
  • D1 IV
    Oligoplites saliens, Castin leatherjack
    lower jaw expanded, strongly convex lower profile
    lower gill rakers 17-20
    front top jaw: 1 row teeth
  • DI V
    Oligoplites saurus saurus, the leatherjack, Atlantic leatherjack
    lower jaw not expanded, weakly convex lower profile
    lower gill rakers 13-16
    top front jaw: 2 rows teeth
  • elongate oval
    rear flank - yellow stripe, fins yellow
    operculum - black spot
    D & A: no finlets behind
    Pseudocaranx dentex, Thicklipped jack, White trevally
    lips fleshy, with papillae, top lip projects
    LL: straight part with scutes
  • elongate oval
    large fatty eyelid covers large eye
    D & A: no finlets behind
    Selar crumenophthalmus, Purse-eyed scad, Bigeye scad
    LL: extension nape only
    rear section LL only with scutes
  • body v deep (depth at D2 origin 61-66% SL)
    forehead profile: concave before eyes, top round
    D & A lobes slightly/not elongate
    Selene brownii, Full moonfish, Caribbean moonfish
    gill rakers 31-34
    juv: black spot over straight part LL
  • body moderately deep (depth at D2 origin 46-52% SL)
    forehead profile: concave before eyes, top round
    D & A lobes not/slightly elongate
    Selene setapinnis, Atlantic moonfish
    gill rakers 36-42
    juv: black spot over straight part LL
  • forehead profile straight, top angular
    D & A lobes v elongate
    Selene vomer, Atlantic look down
    juv: 4-5 faint interrupted bars
  • elongate
    oblique bar: eye to D1
    D VII + I, 29-34; D2 lobe & lt; 15% FL
    juv bars: 5 double +, 6th on tail base, NOT onto D
    Seriola dumerili, Greater amberjack
    top jaw: top bone wide, corner round
    gill rakers: 18-24 small fish, 11-19 large
    A base 59-71% D2 base
  • short oblique bar: eye to nape before D1
    yellow stripe: eye to C
    D2 lobe 12-15.4% FL
    juv: 7 broken bars, 8th on tail base, 3rd-7th extend onto D & A
    Seriola fasciata, Lesser amberjack
    top jaw: top bone slender
    gill rakers 23-26
  • body deep
    oblique bar: eye to D1
    D2 lobe 16-25% FL
    juv: 6 bars (with pale center-line), 7th on tail base, NOT onto D & A
    Seriola rivoliana, Almaco jack
    top jaw: top bone wide, corner angular
  • oblique bar: eye to D1
    D VIII + I, 33-39; D2 lobe low
    A base 48-63% of D2 base
    juv: 6 solid bars, 3rd-5th extend onto D & A
    Seriola zonata, Banded rudderfish
    top jaw: top bone not slender, round corner
    gill rakers 20-25 small fish, 12-17 large
  • elongate
    D VI, 23-25
    A 21-22
    D lobe moderately long
    Trachinotus carolinus, Florida pompano
  • elongate
    D V
    A 23-27
    D & A lobes short
    Trachinotus cayennensis, Cayenne pompano
  • body short, deep
    D VI, 18-20
    A 17-18
    D lobe moderatly long
    fins black
  • body triangular
    2-5 narrow silver bars
    D & A lobes v long, blackish
    D VI
    A 16-18
    Trachinotus goodei, Palometa pompano
  • elongate
    fatty eye-lid
    top corner operculum: black spot
    D & A: no finlets behind
    Trachurus lathami, Rough scad
    LL: extension below D
    pectoral > head
    all of LL with scutes
  • oblong
    dark, +/- bars
    D & A: no rear finlets
    Uraspis secunda, Cottonmouth jack
    inside mouth white
    pectoral > head
    straight part LL: rear scutes point forwards