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Family Sparidae
Description: body deep; front profile very steep; nape projects strongly in large adults; body generally silvery, with a rosy cast; cheek and snout dark purplish gray, with many bronze spots; large blut spot at axil of pectoral fin
Size: to 46 centimeters
Where found: hardbottom, reefs, ledges
Family Balistidae
Description: entirely olive-gray; dorsal and anal fins marbled; caudal fin lobes elongate in large adults; one or more enlarged scales behind gill opening; 26 to 29 dorsal fin rays; 23 to 26 anal fin rays
Young: large darker saddles on back (these saddles sometimes persit in adults); blue spots and short blue lines in dorsal fin and on upper half of body, becoming white below and in anal fin; upper rim of eye blue
Where found: hardbottom, reefs, ledges
Family Lutjanidae, SNAPPERS Lutjanus cyanopterus
Description: color dark brown or gray, may have a reddish tinge; broad-based triangular tooth patch on roof of mouth with a posterior extension; despite its specific name, which translates to "blue-fin," the fins have only a slight tinge of blue; canine teeth in both jaws very strong; one pair of canines enlarged and visible even when mouth is closed.
Similar Fish: gray snapper.
Where found: juveniles INSHORE in grass beds; adults OFFSHORE or NEARSHORE over wrecks, reefs, and ledges.
Size: common to 40 pounds.
*Florida Record: 116 lbs.
Remarks: the largest of the snappers, ranging to 125 pounds; not common anywhere in its range; feeds on fishes and larger crustaceans; in the Keys, spawns during later summer.
* The Florida records quoted are from the Department of Environmental Protection's printed publication, Fishing Lines and are not necessarily the most current ones. The records are provided as only as a benchmark.
Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER Epinephelus itajara
Description: head and fins covered with small black spots; irregular dark and vertical bars present on the sides of body; pectoral and caudal fins rounded; first dorsal fin shorter than and not separated from second dorsal; adults huge, up to 800 pounds; eyes small.
Similar Fish: other grouper.
Where found: NEARSHORE often around docks, in deep holes, and on ledges; young often occur in estuaries, especially around oyster bars; more abundant in southern Florida than in northern waters.
Size: largest of the groupers.
*Florida Record: 680 lbs.
Remarks: spawns over summer months; lifespan of 30 to 50 years; feeds on crustaceans and fish. NOTE: jewfish are totally protected from harvest in Florida waters.
* The Florida records quoted are from the Department of Environmental Protection's printed publication, Fishing Lines and are not necessarily the most current ones. The records are provided as only as a benchmark.
Family Sparidae
