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Juvenile Fish ID

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Identifying FeaturesFish FamiliesButterflyfishesDamselfishesParrotfishesWrassesSurgeonfishesSpanish HogfishLong-Spine Sea UrchinBanded Coral Shrimp

Contents

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Identifying Features

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Body Parts

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Markings

Butterfly Fish

Oval Body Shape

Usually travel in pairs

Foureye Butterflyfish

Strong eye-bar

Yellow pelvic and anal fins

Spot at base of caudal fin

Dusky bars across body

Banded Butterflyfish

May have 4 or 2 ocellated spot

Strong bars across body

Spot at base of caudal fin

Damselfish

Bi-Colour Damselfish

Three-spot Damselfish

Saddle spot

Spot on dorsal fin that crosses over to body

Dusky DamselfishElectric blue spots on face

Oscillated spot on dorsal fin

Yellow/orange on top, blue on bottom

Oscillated

saddle spot

Beaugregory Damselfish

Blue on top, Yellow on bottom

Black, small dot only on the dorsal finThought to look like a beauty mark.

Blue lines that Break into small Dots on nape

Cocoa Damselfish

Oscellated blackDot on dorsal finThat runs ontoThe body

Black dot, or “cocoa bean” onCaudal peduncle

Small blue dots on nape

Longfin Damselfish

Blue on topYellow on bottom Black ocellated

Dot on dorsal finThat runs onto body

Long blue lines on nape

Blue Chromis

Parrotfishes

Greenblotch Parrotfish

Bright orange eye

Numerous white stripes

Gets confused with redband parrotfish

Usually red orbrown

Redband Parrotfish

Two white stripes

Dark blotch

Stoplight Parrotfish

White spots across body

Princess ParrotfishLong, slender body

Two bars bordering the tail

Striped ParrotfishLong, slender body

Completely clear tail

Wrasses

Bluehead WrasseBlack spot on dorsal fin

Long, slender body

Yellowhead WrasseLong, slender body

Yellow colouration

Electric blue stripe down entire body

Clown Wrasse

Red spot on nose

Long, slender bodyYellow stripe on both sides of body that meet on the face

White underside

Rainbow WrasseLong, slender body

White stripe above eye

Two black stripes

Slippery Dick

Long, slender body

Black stripe through center of entire body

Surgeonfishes

Blue Tang

Large dorsal and anal fin that meet at caudal fin

Yellow colouration

Large oval body

Ocean SurgeonfishLarge oval body

Adult looks the same as the juvenile

Spanish HogfishBicoloured: dark blue-purple front half and yellow back half

Colour separated diagonally across body

Pointed snout

Fairy Basslet

Bi-Coloured: Dark blue front half and yellow back half

Spot on dorsal fin

Rounded snout

Long, slender body Colour separated vertically across body

Long-Spine Sea Urchin

Banded Coral Shrimp

Long antennae

Red and white bands