Bluestriped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus)

Habitat: The bluestriped grunt is found in the western Atlantic Ocean from South Carolina (U.S.) south to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and Bermuda. Common in mangroves, reefs, and seagrass beds 

Diet: Feeds on crustaceans, bivalves, and various small fishes 

Facts: Their name comes from the grunting noise they make by grinding their teeth together 

Queen Triggerfish (Balistes vetula)

Habitat: Found along the southeastern coast of the United States to the Caribbean  

Diet: Invertebrates: sea urchins, shrimp, squid, clams, lobster 

Facts:  They can produce an audible warning from special membranes, warning other fish to keep away

Named “triggerfish” for their dorsal fin, which can stick up to secure their body in coral reefs 

Scrawled Filefish (Aluterus scriptus)

Habitat: The scrawled filefish is circumtropical in distribution, ranging in the Western Atlantic from Nova Scotia, Canada, and the Northern Gulf south to Brazil  

Diet: Feed on algae, seagrass, hydrozoans, gorgonians, colonial anemones, and tunicates 

Facts: When threatened the filefish will dive quickly into a crevice in the reef, wedging itself into the shelter by erecting the dorsal spine on its head  

Spot-fin Porcupinefish (Diodon hystrix)

Habitat: Porcupinefish are found in temperate marine environments

•  Adults generally linger inshore around areas that offer shelter such as caves, shipwrecks, reefs, and ledges

• Juveniles are pelagic until reaching 8 inches 

Diet: They are nocturnal predators, with strong jaws for feeding on snails, hermit crabs, and sea urchins 

Facts: The teeth are fused into a single beak, and they have a powerful bite

• For their defense they can intake water and increase their body size 2-3x their normal size

• Their spines deter predators 

French Grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum)

Habitat: Found in the western Atlantic Ocean off Bermuda, South Carolina, and the northern Gulf of Mexico. Found over rocky substrate, coral reefs, under ledges or close to elkhorn coral 

Diet: Feeds primarily on small crustaceans, polychaetas, and mollusks. 

Facts: Their name ‘grunt’ comes from the noise they make by grinding their teeth together 

Spanish Grunt (Haemulon macrostomum)

Habitat: Bermuda to southern Caribbean on coral reefs and hard bottoms 

Diet: Sea-stars, cucumbers, urchins and crustaceans 

Facts: In some areas of the world 'Grunts' are better known as 'Sweetlips' distinguished from other species by their very large rubbery lips 

Blue Parrotfish (Scarus coeruleus)

Habitat:  Western Atlantic from Maryland in the US to Bermuda, the Bahamas, and south to Brazil

They are also found throughout the West Indies 

Diet: Feed on algae and small organisms in the sand and on coral reefs 

Facts: They have the characteristic beak-like jaws with fused teeth used for scraping algae from coral and other rocky substrates

• Help keep reefs clean and healthy

Cottonwick (Haemulon melanurum)

Habitat: Western Atlantic Ocean: Bermuda, southeastern Florida, and the Bahamas to Brazil 

Diet: Crustaceans, sea stars/cucumbers/urchis 

Facts: Can be found schooling on reefs and shipwrecks, juveniles tend to shelter in seagrass beds 

Nurse Shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum)

Habitat: Warm, shallow waters of the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific oceans. 

Diet: Shellfish - crabs, lobster, shrimp 

Facts: Sharks have no bones. Internal structure consists of cartilage

• Molar-like jaw adapted to crush through hard shells

• Ampullae of Lorenzini detect prey items below them 

Porkfish (Anisotremus virginicus)

Habitat: Live in the Western Atlantic Ocean from Florida south to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea as well as the Bahamas.

• Inhabit shallow inshore waters over reefs and rocky bottoms 

Diet: Invertebrates such as mollusks, echinoderms, crustaceans, and worms are preyed upon. They are also generally nocturnal feeders 

Facts: Juvenile porkfish are observed symbiotically feeding on parasites found on other fish species 

Lookdown (Selene vomer)

Habitat: Shallow coastal waters with hard or sandy bottoms in the Tropical Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico and are common along the Texas coast 

Diet: Omnivores: Small worms, fish and crustaceans 

Facts: When stressed, lookdowns will make grunting noises with their swim bladders and their teeth 

Smallmouth Grunt (Haemulon chrysargyeum)

Habitat: Western Atlantic Ocean, from South Florida to Brazil 

Diet: Plankton, small crustaceans, mollusks, and worms.

Facts: This fish forms small groups spends daylight hours on reefs and moves to open water at night to feed

White-tipped Soldierfish (Myriprists vittate)

Habitat: West Indies and the tropical regions of the Pacific Ocean. The prefer reefs and even caves.

Diet: Their typical diet consists of crabs, fish and zooplankton. 

Facts: They often make popping and clicking noises and usually hunt at night. 

Gray Angelfish (Pomacanthus paru)

Habitat: Western Atlantic Ocean from Florida and the Bahamas to the South of Brazil.

• Includes the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, including the Antilles 

Diet: Wide range of algae and invertebrates 

Facts: They tend to cleaning stations where they remove ectoparasites from a wide range of fish 

Mangrove Snapper (Lutjanus griseus)

Habitat:  Coastal waters near structures such as reefs, mangroves, and seagrass.

• Can also be found in freshwater 

Diet: Crustaceans, gastropods and small fish 

Facts:  Form large schools which travel together to occupy various habitats

• Have protruding canine teeth to consume crustaceans 

Caesar Grunt (Haemulon carbonarium)

Habitat:  Found in the western Atlantic Ocean and is distributed from Cape Canaveral in Florida to the Gulf of Mexico, including the Florida Keys 

Diet: Nocturnal feeders on crabs, gastropods, starfish, and annelid worms 

Facts: Found in clear water on rocky or coral reefs and mangroves. They are social fish which form schools and feed at night 

Jewel Damselfish (Microspathodon chrysurus)

Habitat: Western Atlantic Ocean and nearby regions, however they are sometimes seen in various other regions of the world  

Diet: They are omnivores and adults feed on both small fish and herbivore options like algae 

Facts: They tend to adjust to their environment quickly and can nip at other marine creatures 

Queen Angel  (Holocanthus ciliaris)

Habitat: Live alone or in pairs in the warm waters of the Caribbean and Western Atlantic 

Diet: Omnivores: Sponges, algae and sea fans, soft corals and even jellyfish 

Facts: Juveniles set up cleaning stations in seagrass where larger fish come to have their skin parasites removed 

Bermuda Blue Angelfish (Holocanthus bermudensis)

Habitat: Found in the western Atlantic from North Carolina to Bermuda, into the Bahamas and Florida to the Gulf of Mexico 

Diet: Its diet comprises largely sponges and occasionally feeds on tunicates, corals, and algae 

Facts: The adults are usually encountered in pairs, and they remain in these pairs all year 

Puddingwife Wrasse (Halichoeres radiatus)

Habitat: Native to the western Atlantic ocean through the west indies and Gulf of Mexico. They are usually in shallow coastal waters.

Diet:

Facts: They can reach up to 20inches in total length

Black Margate (Anistotremus srinamensis )

Habitat: Western Atlantic Ocean. Very commonly found in Florida coastal waters and mangrove estuaries 

Diet: Worms, clams, insects, and crustaceans 

Facts: It frequently takes shelter in caves, ledges and within wrecks. Normally encountered as small groups or individuals and are nocturnal feeders 

Foureye Butterflyfish (Chaetodon ocellatus)

Habitat: Inhabits sandy bottom shallows in and around reefs in the Western Atlantic. The foureye butterflyfish is commonly found on shallow reef around Florida 

Diet: Swims and feeds over bare sandy bottoms. Scrape at the invertebrates, soft corals, worms, gorgonians and tunicates 

Facts: Travels in pairs or in small groups in 4 or 5 

Blackbar Soldierfish (Myripristis Jacobus)

Habitat:  

• Shallow water crevices and holes in coral and rock reefs during the day

• Emerges at night to feed 

Diet: Primarily plankton, but will consume small shrimp and other crustaceans  

Facts:  Large eyes aid in finding prey at night

• Often seen swimming upside down 

Longspine Squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus)

Habitat: Found along the southeastern coast of the United States to Brazil 

Diet: Crustaceans, mollusks and gastropods 

Facts: They hide in or near dark ledges. They are territorial and defend their crevices with visual and acoustic displays 

Spanish Hogfish (Bodianus rufus)

Habitat: Common across the whole Gulf of Mexico, Florida included, and in the Caribbean Sea, and the Atlantic Brazilian coasts   

Diet: Feed on crustaceans, mollusks and echinoderms, like sea urchins, echiurans, and starfishes. The young feed on small organisms and like labroids clean up various fishes from their ectoparasites

Facts:  Like other members of the wrasse family, they are protogynous and change sex from female to male 

Brown Chromis (Chromis multilineata)

Habitat:  Florida and Texas, throughout the Caribbean Sea to Brazil 

Diet:  Zooplankton, zoobenthos 

Facts: Non-migratory species with the adults normally found in steep slopes and patch reefs at depths up to 300 feet 

Atlantic Stingray (Dasyatis sabina )

Habitat:  Chesapeake Bay south to Florida, and in the Gulf of Mexico south to Campeche, Mexico 

Diet:  Typically consists of tube anemones, amphipods, crustaceans, clams 

Facts: Comfortable with changing levels of salinity, they can be found in freshwater lakes and rivers

• Venomous barb for protection