Grouper ID

[mntlblok]

Might this be a Yellowmouth Grouper?
IMG_3431qre | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
IMG_3438accrre | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Probably a foot or so long. Saw it on a shore dive at Lauderdale By The Sea last September.

Kevin

 

[ryan115]

Even though that is just a little girl...I am going to go with Scamp Mycteroperca phenax the most distinguishing characteristic from those shots is the caudal fin. Yellow mouths have extended rays on the caudal that are fairly uniform and give it more of a comb appearance. While scamp have longer upper and lower rays.

 

[mntlblok]

Even though that is just a little girl...I am going to go with Scamp Mycteroperca phenax the most distinguishing characteristic from those shots is the caudal fin. Yellow mouths have extended rays on the caudal that are fairly uniform and give it more of a comb appearance. While scamp have longer upper and lower rays.

Thank you. However, unless I'm reading this wrong, it seems like you're making more of an argument for it being a yellow mouth, no? IMG_3431qre | Flickr - Photo Sharing! seems more "comb-like" on the tail fin to me. . .

Kevin

 

[ryan115]

The fish pictures is a fairly small female...as they grow the filaments get longer. However even at this size you can see that the filaments near the upper and lower margins are longer and there are hardly any showing in the center.
Here is one of the better pictures showing the difference.
http://www.charlestonfishing.com/fishid/grouper/scamp.jpg

 

[mntlblok]

The fish pictures is a fairly small female...as they grow the filaments get longer. However even at this size you can see that the filaments near the upper and lower margins are longer and there are hardly any showing in the center.
Here is one of the better pictures showing the difference.
http://www.charlestonfishing.com/fishid/grouper/scamp.jpg

Aha! I think the anal fin makes yer point even better. Thanks. *And*, you can almost find both "anal" and "fin" in the word "filaments".

Kevin

 

[mntlblok]

Aha! I think the anal fin makes yer point even better.

Scratch that. Finally noted the *ends* of the "interior" teeth of the comb.

Kevin

 

[ryan115]

Even though that picture states otherwise...M. interstitialis can get an elongated anal fin...generally not to the extent of M. phenax

 

[scubadiveilat]

Your dead on!!!

It's the Yellow mouth Grouper

Family Serranidae, SEA BASSES AND GROUPER
Mycteroperca interstitialis

Which is limited to the Southern Florida area.


Excellent photo!!!

 

[Puffer Fish]

Here, this might help...this was taken in the northern gulf:

 

[ryan115]

Mycteroperca interstitialis is not restricted in range to S. Florida. They have been identified up the east coast to S. Carolina, and around the gulf including LA, Texas Flower gardens and the Campeche peninsula. I have seen them personally in the elbow (just south of the Florida Middle Grounds, as well as many other places around the west atlantic

Puffer, which species were those Identified to? I believe they are all Scamp