For the ID Gurus out there... what are these?

[erparamedic]

I just got home from a dive vacation with my husband and parents. We dove WPB and Mom took several pics.

Can all you wonderful ID gurus out there please help me to ID some fish etc?

These pics were taken under the east span of the Blue Heron Bridge.

The first pic, I thought, was a juvenile spotted drumfish.... but PennyPue thinks it may be a High Hat. Anyone know? (I'm guessing that Penny may be right. )

The 2nd and 3rd pic is a super teeny tiny nudibranch, maybe 2-3mm long. (The knife edge beside it was a filet knife that my husband picked up under the bridge... obviously lost by a fisherman... but, it's a good reference for size!)

The 4th pic is a very cool crab, but I don't know what kind of crab.

The 5th-8th pics are what I call stonefish. Others say that it's a scorpion fish. Aren't stonefish and scorpion fish the same thing? What kind of fish are in these pics? (Also, I have a few more pics of these if needed.)

The last fish is black and yellow, and was very pretty... the pic is a bit blurry, but again, it was found under the BHB. Any idea what it is?

Thanks to anyone that offers help in IDing any of the above! I live in Indiana, so around here, fish ID consists of bass and bluegill, and an occasional snapping turtle!

 

[The Mighty Thor]

6-8 looks like a stonefish. You are right. A stonefish belongs to the family of Scorpionfish, which also includes Lionfish

 

[gus055]

Probably juvenile French Angel

 

[vladimir]

I agree, prettyfish2 is a juvenile French Angel.

 

[erparamedic]

Ahhh, a juvenile french angel! I hadn't even considered that! Thank you!

 

[vladimir]

Your juvenile spotted drum is, I think, a juvenile highhat. The distinctive feature is the non-continuous black bar from dorsal tip to tailfin tip, which is continuous on a drum.

 

[vladimir]

I don't do crabs and nudibranchs--I have too many of my own still unidentified.

 

[erparamedic]

Thank you, Vladimir! Your input is much appreciated!

Also thanks to Gus and Thor!

Anyone else wanna chime in?

 

[archman]

The crab is a portunid, either a Callinectes or a Portunas.

If I had to *guess*, I'd go with Portunas sayi. But I'd rather not guess.

 

[Bubble Junky]

6-8 looks like a stonefish. You are right. A stonefish belongs to the family of Scorpionfish, which also includes Lionfish

That is not a Stonefish, but a Devil Scorpionfish (Scorpaenopsis diabolus).
This is a Stonefish.....

Check this link.

There is a scorpionfish that erroneously identified as stonefish, the humpbacked or devil scorpionfish. However there are two difference: First the shape of the mouth. Stonefishes have a mouth which is directed upwards like a upside-down "U". Second the stone fish curl their tail extremely to one side.