Shorefishes - Gallery

body oblong

D XI

Acanthistius pictus, Peruvian sea-bass

behind eye: 2 oblique stripes
opercle: 3 spines, blotch between top 2

lower edge preopercle - spines point forward

snout short, forehead straight

dark bars + white spots + black dots

Alphestes immaculatus, Pacific hamlet, Pacific mutton-hamlet

pectoral: rows spots

snout short, forehead straight

dense brown spots, forming stripes at rear

Alphestes multiguttatus, Pacific guaseta, Many-spotted hamlet, Rivulated mutton-hamlet

pectoral: 5-6 dark bars

pink above, silver below, nape yellow
large eye, iris blue
yellow stripe: snout - operculum

D & A: front rays long

C red + top & bottom blue

Anthias noeli, Rosy jewelfish

D spines silver, rays blue-pink

elongate, fusiform
both front profiles convex

green-brown + 5 white spots, reddish fins
juvs: yellow or grey + 5 dark spots

C: very concave

Cephalopholis colonus, Pacific creolefish

dark blotch behind eye

body - ~ 10 thin dark bars
juv: blue-gy, green nape

D IX, 14

Cephalopholis panamensis, Panama graysby, Pacific graysby, Panamic graysby

elongate
head long, low, pointed

D: X, middle spines longer than head

grey

Cratinus agassizii, Grey threadfin sea-bass

body deep, very compressed
forehead oblique

bars + pale blotches & dark spots, fin edges yellow
juv: black + many white bars

Dermatolepis dermatolepis, Leather bass

in mouth yellow

belly: yellow blotch

Diplectrum conceptione, Yellow-mouth sand-perch

preopercular spur: 4-6 spines, central 2 large & diverging

pelvics dark

A yellow

under & behind eye: row spots join orange stripe

D & A end & front rays ~ same height

C: bars of orange spots

Diplectrum eumelum, Orange-spotted sand-perch, Cheekspot sand-perch, Pointed sand-perch

preopercle spur deep, angular, 8-14 spines

7-10 rows scales on cheek

yellow stripe on cheek -> 2-3 across operculum

soft D: black stripe along base

body: 4 double dark bars

Diplectrum euryplectrum, Wide-spur sand-perch, Big-head sand-perch

preopercular spur: deep, square, 6-12 spines

body: 4 double dark bars

D: spines II-IV long, with filaments, black
soft D 3-5 oblique orange stripes

C: 3 orange bars, black & white spots on top edge

Diplectrum labarum, High-fin sand-perch

preopercle spur: square, deep. 8-13 spines

yellow bar: eye to top lip

body: thin dark bars
soft D: row orange spots, rear rays < front rays

D length front rays > rear rays

Diplectrum macropoma, Mexican sand-perch, Barred sand-perch, Pygmy sand-perch, Big-scale sand-perch

preopercle spur: very deep, angular, 8-13 spines

grey-brown
operculum: dark blotch

Diplectrum maximum, Torpedo sand-perch, Greater sand-perch

preopercular spur: narrow, pointed, 4-8 spines

A 2nd spine ~ 3rd

pink blotch over origin A

C top edge red, bottom white, rows orange spots

Diplectrum pacificum, Pacific sand-perch, Inshore sand-perch

preopercle spur: square, not deep, 5-8 spines

cheek 10-14 rows scales
gill rakers 15-24

eye to snout: 2 oblique yellow stripes
eye: yellow ring
above A: yellow blotch

C base: dark blotch in center, 2 black spots at top

Diplectrum rostrum, Barsnout sand-perch, Narrowspur sand-perch, Bridled sand-perch

preopercle spur: low, blunt, rounded, 7-11 spines

cheek 10-14 rows scales
gill rakers 22-25

top jaw bone deep

body: 2 stripes + 8-10 bars
D 2-3 rows yellow spots

D 2-3 rows yellow spots

Diplectrum sciurus, Squirrel sand-perch, Gulf sand-perch, Gulf squirrelfish

preopercular spur: deep, square, 5-10 spines

gill rakers 32-41

body & fins tan + many small brown spots

D: X, 16-18

Epinephelus analogus, Spotted cabrilla, Spotted grouper

grey-green

D: XI, 2nd spine longest, much longer than 1st

juvenile - no white spots

Epinephelus cifuentesi, Northern grouper, Olive grouper

front & rear nostrils ~ same size

gill rakers 9-11 + 17-20

pink-grey + white spots

D XI, 15-16, 3rd-4th spines longest

juvenile: fine mesh of dark spots + pale lines

Epinephelus clippertonensis, Clipperton grouper

scales: 46-50 around tail base, 16-18 above LL

grey-green, pale mottling, white blotches

D: XI, 16-18, 3rd or 4th spine longest, > rays

tail base: dark saddle

Epinephelus labriformis, Flag cabrilla, Starry grouper

scales: 34-40 around tail base, 11-12 above LL

grey + scattered dark spots, oblique dark bars
juv: dark bars & spots

D: XI, spines shorter than rays

C: rounded

Epinephelus quinquefasciatus, Pacific itajara grouper, Pacific goliath grouper

body: lot yellow

C: middle rays longest

Hemanthias peruanus, Split-tail bass, Rose thread-tail bass

no hook under throat

pectoral 16-18

body: little yellow

D 3rd spine very long

C: outer rays longest

Hemanthias signifer, Hookthroat bass, Damsel bass, Damsel thread-fin bass

hook under throat

pectoral 18-20

deep, compressed
eye large, dark

D: X, 10-11

grey, LL dark

Hemilutjanus macrophthalmos, Grape-eye seabass

teeth simple

scales small, rough

red-brown, fins darker

D: IX, 2nd-4th spines long

Hyporthodus acanthistius, Rose coney, Gulf coney, Rooster hind

juvenile - blue spots

brown-green

D X, adult - 2nd & 3rd spines long, 2nd >3rd

juv: green + pale spots & C dark/pale

Hyporthodus exsul, Black grouper, Ten-spine grouper

rear nostril larger, an inverted tear drop

24-27 gill rakers

tan + ~ 9 bars, last thick & dark

D XI

Hyporthodus mystacinus, Misty grouper

dark brown, sometimes + rows pale spots

D: XI, adult - 2nd spine elongate

juvenile - white spots + dark/yellow tail

Hyporthodus niphobles, Snowy grouper, Star-studded grouper

rear nostril vertically elongate, 2-5 times > front nostril

gill rakers 8-9 + 15-17

purple & red + 3 yellow stripes

Liopropoma fasciatum, Rainbow bass, Wrasse ass bass, Rainbow basslet

pink; flank - red stripe, back - yellow stripe
fin edges yellow

Liopropoma longilepis, Scalyfin basslet

brown + oblong dark blotches, lines radiate from eye
fins - outer 1/3 dark, thin white margins

D: 4th & 5th spines longest

C edge regular

Mycteroperca jordani, Gulf grouper

gill rakers 21-26

pectoral 16-18

gold or grey + dense brown spots
sometimes 10-12 dark bars

D: 2nd & 3rd spines longest

C edge regular

Mycteroperca olfax, Sailfin grouper, Bacalao grouper

preopercle edge notched

grey + dark oval blotches and spots

D: 3rd spine longest

C: edge saw-like

Mycteroperca prionura, Sawtail grouper

brown spots + dark saddles + pale vertical lines
rare gold morph

D: 3rd spine longest

C border regular

Mycteroperca rosacea, Leopard grouper

body - elongate dark blotches with pale centers
dark lines radiate from eye

D: 2nd-7th spines ~ same length
soft D & A pointed

C edge saw-toothed

Mycteroperca xenarcha, Broomtail grouper

preoperculum corner - angular, strongly serrated

large white spots: flank ~ 6, back 2

C: 3 bars - white, dark, orange

Paralabrax albomaculatus, White-spotted sand-bass, Camotillo sand-bass

head, body & fins: dense orange spots

D: 3rd spine > 3 times 2nd

back: 2-3 thin pale stripes

Paralabrax auroguttatus, Goldspotted sand-bass, Gold-spotted sand-bass

13-14 gill rakers

head & upper body: lines orange spots

D: 3rd spine ~ twice 2nd, soft part - convex end

Paralabrax callaensis, Southern rock-bass, Callao sea-bass

pectoral long, yellow

A: spines white

forehead: yellow spots
side head - 3 bars
back: 2 rows rectangular white blotches

D spines: 3rd & 4th = twice 2nd

Paralabrax clathratus, Kelp bass

orange spots head to tail
oblique bar under eye
back - pale oval blotch

D: 3rd spine twice 2nd; end soft part convex

Paralabrax humeralis, Peruvian rock-bass

pectoral 17-19, straight lower margin

head: orange spots & lines
tail base & fins: orange & brown spots
body - ~ 7 long bars

D: 3rd spine 3 times 2nd

Paralabrax loro, Parrot rock-bass, Parrot sand-bass

lower gill rakers 17

head, body & fins - dense dark spots
oblique bar - eye to lower corner operculum

~ 6 indistinct bars on body
spots form dark lines on lower body

D: 3rd spine 3 times 2nd

Paralabrax maculatofasciatus, Spotted sand-bass

lower gill rakers 13-15

body: dark blotches & faint dark bars
dark oblique bar: eye to operculum

D: 3rd spine > twice 2nd

Paralabrax nebulifer, Barred sand-bass

elongate oval; very large eye
pink; C & soft D - yellow spots

C: forked, sharp tips

Pronotogrammus eos, Bigeye bass

pectoral passes A origin

pelvic - no long rays, yellow

pink/red
C red, yellow border, angular tips

Pronotogrammus multifasciatus, Threadfin bass, Speckled bass

pectoral just reaches A origin

pelvic - very long ray

short wide flap over eye

body: brown + pale blotches; no dark lines

Pseudogramma axelrodi, Axelrod's reef-bass

pectoral: 17-18

long thin flap over eye

body: thin dark lines

Pseudogramma thaumasia, Black-spot reef-bass, Pacific reef-bass

white bar on cheek

pectoral: 16-17

body & fins dark + dispersed pale spots
juv: 3 stripes/ocelli on body

D: III

Rypticus bicolor, Mottled soapfish, Cortez soapfish

chin pointed, tip fleshy

preopercle and lower jaw - patches of small pores

tan, cream spots upper body & operculum, fins dark
juv: spotted, fins white edges, dark lines behind eye

D: II

Rypticus courtenayi, Revillagigedos soapfish, Socorro soapfish

chin rounded, no fleshy tip

preopercle and lower jaw - evenly spread small pores

body & fins: brown + dense small pale spots
juv: yellow D&A base; C - yellow stripes

D: II

Rypticus nigripinnis, Twice-spotted soapfish, Blackfin soapfish

snout short
chin - no fleshy tip

preopercle and lower jaw - 4 large pores

short snout
large eyes

body - 6 bars, 2nd with dark blotch on LL

C concave

Serranus aequidens, Deepwater serrano

opercle - large dark blotch

lower gill rakers 16

large eye

C: black + white bar

Serranus huascarii, Flag serrano, Peruvian serrano

purple blotch over anus

body ~ 8 dark bars or dark stripe
belly: row large spots

Serranus psittacinus, Banded serrano, Barred serrano

11-12 lower gill rakers

red + 2 rows ~ 6 pearl blotches - back & belly

Serranus socorroensis, Socorro serrano

Revillagigedos

red
karge black blotch under soft D
mid-side: row black spots

Serranus stilbostigma, Side-blotch serrano

belly: oblique white bar

head red-brown
body: ~ 8 red & yellow bars

Cocos Is

Serranus tico, Cocos serrano