Fish ID - Scamp Vs. Yellowmouth

[OysterBoot74]

I'm guessing that this is the correct place to post this question. So, here goes - how does one both tell the difference, and illustrate to another, the differences between a Scamp and a Yellowmouth grouper? I have bought fish ID books and studied some online, however, I have not yet satisfied myself that I could successfully distinguish and defend the ID of a 2lb Yellowmouth Grouper in Scamp territory. Anyone willing to enlighten me?

[lock_washer]

I wish I could...I am trying to figure out why the Aussies are calling grouper "Potato Cod". In reality it is not a member of the cod family of fish.

[Puffer Fish]

Oyster, I find everyone in the north gulf calling any grouper with a yellow mouth a "Scamp", and every in the south east florida calling every yellow grouper a yellow mouth.

I have lots of pictures of them in the northern gulf.. and they all seem to be Yellow mouths.. but everyone calls them Scamp...so you are not the only one confused.

Here is an example (in very bad vis):



And here is how they should look:

Yellowmouth Grouper

Scamp

Another one:



and one more fish (all from the northern gulf coast:



All would appear to be yellow mouths, and yet all were ID'd as Scamp... The last one shows the tail clearly, and it is not the tail of a Scamp... so not sure.

[drdiver1952]

Lots of fish are confused this way--especially ones in commercial play. Nice pics.