9 replies to this topic

[ChrisKayler]

Hi. I've been looking at your guys pictures for a while, and i've noticed that 1. they are very good , and 2. you guys are good at identifying different species. So, I decided I will look to you guys for help. All pictures are taken in Virgin Gorda, in the Virgin Islands. They were done while snorkeling, so the depth was never over ~25 ft. I know most of the stuff is common, and I'm pretty sure I know some of them, but I want to double check.



Yellowtail Snapper?



Some type of squirrel fish.. anyone know specifics?



Southern Stingray and Bar Jack?



Seargant Major?



No idea..



No idea.. he was in about 3-4 ft of water if it helps, would bury himself in the sand



Queen parrotfish? I call him "bucky"



Queen parrotfish?



Smooth Trunkfish?



Palometa?

http://img17.photobucket.com/albums/v51/Fuzzyness/Needlenose_Fish.jpg

Atlantic Needlenose fish?

http://img17.photobucket.com/albums/v51/Fuzzyness/Lizard_Fish.jpg

Some type of Goby? anyone know specifics?

http://img17.photobucket.com/albums/v51/Fuzzyness/happy_fish.jpg

Don't know.. looks like he is smiling though!

http://img17.photobucket.com/albums/v51/Fuzzyness/Dancing_Blue_Fish.jpg

Blue Tang Surgeonfish? looks like they are dancing.

http://img17.photobucket.com/albums/v51/Fuzzyness/Cuttlefish.jpg

Cuttlefish? are there more specific types?

http://img17.photobucket.com/albums/v51/Fuzzyness/bottom_sucker.jpg

Yellow Goatfish?

http://img17.photobucket.com/albums/v51/Fuzzyness/Blue_Angelfish_with_buddy.jpg

I have no idea what the blue one is..the small blue/yellow one is a Cocoa Damselfish I think.

http://img17.photobucket.com/albums/v51/Fuzzyness/Bar_Jack.jpg

Bar Jack?

http://img17.photobucket.com/albums/v51/Fuzzyness/Anenomies_in_reflecting_tidal_pool.jpg

I dipped my camera into this tidal pool, is there a specific name for the black sea urchins?

http://img17.photobucket.com/albums/v51/Fuzzyness/anemonie.jpg

Some sort of Anenomie, anyone know specific type?

http://img17.photobucket.com/albums/v51/Fuzzyness/Airplane_Triggerfish.jpg

No idea..


Thanks in advance for the help! :wink:

[scubamarli]

Hi,
Rather than identify all of these critters, I'll suggest a resource (and check out the tread on Critter Resources as well, for more). Everthing in your photos can be found in Paul Humann's series of ID books. For a less expensive option, try Greenburg's Guide to Corals & Fishes of Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. The only thing missing, from the latter, of course are the invertebrates. You'll get so much more out of your snorkeling if you know what you're looking at.
I'm sure everyone would be happy to help with things that you're unable to figure out. One at a time will probably get a better response than a bunch at one time.
I'll give you one ID: the little black fishes are Red Lipped blennies, or Ophioblennius atlanticus, which are commonly found in shallow waters.

[Canuck]

I think your "cuttlefish" is actually a squid!

[ChrisKayler]

Thanks for the book recommendations scubamarli, and for the ID!

Really canuck? how can you tell?

[Canuck]

The spots on the back look like the squid I have seen. The shape of the head and the eyes looks more like a squid. Also, the squid I have seen tend to extend their tentacles out in front of them. The cuttlefish I have seen do not exhibit that behavior.

But I could be wrong!

I have attached photos of both.

Cuttlefish:



Squid:

[shark8matt]

I will try to give you a rundown of the ones you had no idea or missed...
By common name...

#2 - Type of Squirrelfish - species too hard to determine from picture
#5 - Bermuda or Yellow Chub
#6 - Sanddiver (type of lizardfish)
#8 - Stoplight Parrotfish
#11 - Type of Needlefish - probably not Atlantic - better bet is redfin or most probably Houndfish - size? would help - hard to determine from pic
#12 - Redlip Blenny or possibly molly miller
#13 - Stoplight Parrotfish
#15 - Is indeed the Caribbean Reef SQUID
#17 - A Blue Tang and Juvenile Beaugregory
#19 - Long-Spined Urchin
#20 - Giant Anemone
#21 - Hard to tell from angle but looks like a Tang

Hope that helps... and I strongly advocate the Humann Guides as well - a useful resource for both Joe diver and scientists alike...

be good!
- MP

[ChrisKayler]

Thanks for the many ID's shark, I will check out the book you suggested!

I agree Canuck, definately a squid.

Cya!

[acroporas]

I will try to give you a rundown of the ones you had no idea or missed...
By common name...

#2 - Type of Squirrelfish - species too hard to determine from picture
#17 - A Blue Tang and Juvenile Beaugregory  
#19 - Long-Spined Urchin  
#21 - Hard to tell from angle but looks like a Tang

#2 - Longspine squirlefish
#17 - Beaugregory and cocoa Damselfish are nearly Identical but I think it is actually the latter.
#19 - It isnt a longspine urchin it is a Rock Boring Uchrin
#21 - Ocean Surgeonfish

[shark8matt]

Acroporas -


Good call - # 19 is a Diadema

The others are a little tough to positively ID - but the best possibilities were covered.
Cocoa damsels and beugregories are very similar and more detail is needed in a pic to positively ID - usually beaugregories are more common so I made a logical assumption...The last one is tough - definitely a type of surgeonfish though. Thanks for the input...

Be good!

- MP

[acroporas]

#19 -  It isnt a longspine urchin it is a Rock Boring Uchrin

Acroporas -
 Good call - # 19 is a Diadema  

Are you agreeing or disagreeing with me?

What makes you think they are Diadema? They seem too small and too short spined for Diadema. Do Diadema antillarum have short spines when they are small? I have never seem antillarum that small but all of the small Diadema savignyi i have seen have similar spine/body ratio as the adults.