Mobile Bay Lab ID
• Common Fish & Invertebrates
• Images and information taken
from references at end – mostly
TAMU
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body variable, more slender in
northern populations. Snout fairly
blunt, a little over 1/2 eye diameter;
maxilla long, tip pointed, reaching
beyond hind border of preoperculum, almost to gill opening;
panamensis-type gill cover canals.
Anal fin rays rarely 28, its origin
below unbranched dorsal fin rays.
Anus nearer to pelvic fin tips than to
anal fin origin.
Similar Species
Striped and dusky anchovies
have longer snouts, wider stripes
and different placements of
dorsal and anal fins.
Bay anchovy
Anchoa mitchilli
Atlantic bumper
Chloroscombrus chrysurus
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body is ovate, very laterally compressed;
color is silvery, dusky with yellow to
green on back; fins are yellow, black
spot on upper caudal peduncle; caudal
peduncle with 6-12 weak scutes; mouth
oblique, pointed; no paired caudal keels
(ridges on sides of caudal peduncle);
lateral line with strong anterior arch.
Similar Species
The black spot on the caudal peduncle
easily distinguishes this jack except in
the smallest of species. This jack and the
bluntnose jacks are the only jacks with
the upper caudal fin lobe longer than
the lower lobe. The bumper can be
distinguished from the bluntnose jack by
the lack of strong line of scutes in the
lateral line. The bumper only has a few
scutes, mainly over the caudal peduncle.
Violet goby
Gobioides broussonetii
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body large, elongate, longer than
most gobies, almost eel-like;
color purplish brown above,
lighter below, 25-30 dark
anteriorly directed stripes on
upper body; 1 dorsal fin, long and
continuous; pelvic fins united to
form 1 fin; both dorsal and anal
fins connected to tail fin base;
eyes very small, near top of head;
snout blunt; mouth oblique
(slanting upwards), upper jaw
extending to or past posterior
margin of eye; tail lanceolate
(long, pointed); scaled.
Similar Species
This is the largest goby. Other
gobies have 2 dorsal fins.
gafftopsail catfish
Bagre marinus
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Mainly marine but enters brackish
estuaries with relatively high
salinities Feeds mainly on small
fishes and invertebrates. The dorsal
and pectoral fins are equipped with
a serrated erectile spine, both of
which are venomous. Commonly
caught by anglers along bridges,
piers and catwalks. Flesh considered
good; marketed fresh (Ref. 5217).
hardhead catfish
Ariopsis felis
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Hardhead catfish have six rounded
barbels that stick out from their
chins like whiskers. These barbels
help the catfish find crabs, fish and
shrimp in the muddy bays where
they live. The dorsal and pectoral
fins each are supported by a sharp,
slime-covered barbed spine. The
dorsal spine normally is held erect
when the fish is excited and a tennis
shoe or even a leather-soled shoe
offers little protection.
Blue catfish
Ictalurus furcatus
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Catfish are long slender fish with
barbels on the chin that look like
long black whiskers. There are four
pairs of barbels around the mouth,
two on the chin, one at the angle of
the mouth, and one behind the
nostril.
Blue catfish lack scales and possess
an adipose fin, as well as a single,
serrated spine in the dorsal and
pectoral fins.
The blue catfish is generally slate
blue on the back to silvery/white on
its underside and has a deeply
forked tail.
The number of anal fin rays is 30 to
35.
The eyes of the blue catfish are
placed in the lower half of the head..
Croaker are easily recognized by numerous short barbels
on either side below the mouth and a sharply jagged
preopercle. The latter can be painfully evident upon
holding a croaker, as the fish tend to flare their opercles
when disturbed or frightened. Croaker have a rather
long head with an inferior mouth, appropriate for
feeding on the bottom. They have silvery bodies with a
series of copperish or brownish markings arranged in
diagonal bars that tend to become less distinct as the fish
grows. Pectoral and pelvic fins are bright yellow to
orange.
Atlantic cutlassfish
Trichiurus lepturus
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body elongate, highly compressed,
ribbon-like, no scales, color silver; lower
jaw protrudes past upper jaw; mouth
large, fang-like teeth; single dorsal fin
running from head to almost end of body;
pelvic fins and anal fins absent; caudal fin
absent, tail end pointed; minute single
spines along belly from anus to tail.
Similar Species
Other cutlassfishes in the Atlantic and
Gulf have forked tails. The Atlantic
cutlassfish has no caudal fin, tail just
tapers to a point.
Banded drum
Larimus fasciatus
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body short and thick, laterally
compressed; color grayish with
dark vertical bars on sides; fins
with some yellow; mouth
oblique, 2nd anal spine thick;
mouth supraterminal, lower
jaw extending slightly past
upper jaw; caudal fin rounded;
lateral line extends onto caudal
fin.
Similar Species
Small black drum have vertical
stripes but not the oblique
mouth, also has barbels on
chin.
Distinguish
ing
Characteri
stics
Body short, very deep, extremely
compressed; head sharply sloping,
slightly concave in front of eye; lower
jaw protrudes; color silvery, fins
yellowish, dark area on top of caudal
peduncle; 2nd dorsal fin lobe slightly
elongate; dorsal and anal spines
reabsorbed into body in large fish;
pelvic fins short becoming
rudimentary in larger fish; posterior
scutes on lateral line weak; lateral line
with strong moderately long anterior
arch; no keels on caudal peduncle.
Similar
Species
Lookdowns have deeper bodies and
longer dorsal and anal fin lobes.
Moonfish
Selene setapinnis
Bluefish
Pomatomus saltatrix
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body elongate, compressed; color greenish blue on back, silvery on sides and
belly; dark blotch at pectoral fin base; lower jaw thick, slightly projecting past
upper jaw; 1st dorsal fin with short spines; 2nd dorsal fin long; anal fin slightly
shorter than 2nd dorsal fin; prominent teeth, flat, triangular; caudal fin dusky; no
scutes or keels on lateral line or caudal peduncle.
Similar Species
Similar to jacks but does not have the 2 detached spines in front of anal fin, the
narrow caudal peduncle, grooves on the caudal peduncle, and no scutes on the
lateral line.
Lookdown
Selene vomer
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body short, very deep, extremely
compressed; head sharply sloping, slightly
concave below the eye; lower jaw
protrudes; color silvery, fins yellowish,
young with dark bar over eye and
sometimes dark vertical bars; 2nd dorsal
and anal fin lobes very elongate; 1st dorsal
spines and pelvic fin rays long and
filamentous in juveniles with filaments,
spines and fins disappearing with age;
posterior scutes weak; lateral line with
strong moderately long anterior arch; no
keels (ridges) on caudal peduncle.
Similar Species
Similar to moonfish but lookdown's body is
deeper and 2nd dorsal and anal lobes very
elongate.
Dwarf sand perch
Diplectrum
bivittatum
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body slender, elongate; color pale yellow brown on back and sides, whitish below; 2
rows of dark horizontal interrupted bands on upper body; irregular vertical bars on
sides; dark spot at base of caudal fin; wavy blue lines on head; dorsal fin orangish with
white spots; mouth large; single group of spines at the angle of preopercle (vs. 2
groups); opercle with 3 flat spines; outer edge of opercle free.
Similar Species
Similar to the sand perch D. formosum which has 2 groups of spines on the preopercle
margin, dwarf sand perch only has 1 group.
Gulf Butterfish
Peprilus burti
Disting
uishing
Charact
eristics
Body deep, round, strongly
compressed; color pale blue
gray above, silvery with
yellow tinges on sides; snout
blunt, shorter than eye
diameter; mouth small;
dorsal and anal fins long,
about the same length,
anterior rays of both fins
slightly elongate; pelvic fins
absent; dorsal and anal
spines small and sometimes
obsolete; row of pores below
anterior half of dorsal fin.
Similar
Species
Similar to the harvestfish but
anterior rays of dorsal and
anal fins are only slightly
elongated; butterfish have a
row of pores below anterior
half of dorsal fin (no pores in
harvestfish).
Gulf menhaden
Brevoortia patronus
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body deep, compressed; color blue-green above, sides and belly yellowish to silver; dark
spot on shoulder, sometimes with a series of diffused spots behind shoulder spot; fins
yellowish, caudal fin with dusky tips; typical herring mouth(short, deep lower jaw hidden
by wide rounded upper jaw), upper jaw with frontal notch; belly with serrated keel; 2
rows of enlarged scales on back in front of dorsal fin; pelvic fin rounded, inner and outer
rays about the same length; striated lines on opercle.
Similar Species
Differs from finescale menhaden by having striated lines on opercle, rounded pelvic fins
(outer rays and inner rays about the same length); other herrings do not have 2 rows of
enlarged scales on back in front of dorsal fin.
Harvestfish
Peprilus paru
Distinguishin
g
Characteristi
cs
Body deep, round, strongly
compressed; color pale blue
gray above, silvery with yellow
tinges on sides; snout blunt,
shorter than eye diameter;
mouth small; dorsal and anal
fins long, about the same
length, anterior rays of both fins
very elongate; pelvic fins
absent; dorsal and anal spines
small and sometimes obsolete;
no row of pores below anterior
half of dorsal fin.
Similar
Species
Similar to the gulf butterfish but
anterior rays of dorsal and anal
fins are very elongated (only
slightly elongated in butterfish),
butterfish with row of pores
below anterior half of dorsal fin
(no pores in harvestfish)
Hardhead catfish
Ariopsis felis
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body elongate, the head is flattened dorsoventrally, the body is flattened laterally;
body is scaleless; color bluish to gray above, white below; sharp, thick serrated
spine in dorsal fin and both pectoral fins; 1st ray of dorsal and pectoral fins not
elongated; adipose fin present; 3 pair of long round barbels on chin and mouth.
Similar Species
The gafftopsail catfish has 2 pair of flatted barbels (hardheads have 3 pair of round
barbels), its 1st dorsal and pectoral fin rays are elongated; the blue catfish, a
freshwater catfish that ventures into brackish waters, have 4 pair of barbels.
Least puffer
Sphoeroides parvus
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body elongate, globular, lower skin
loose; color brown to gold (or yellow)
on back and upper sides with several
large black spots and many smaller
lighter dots, lower sides and belly white;
jaws form a beak with 2 teeth in upper
jaw and 2 in lower jaw; no pelvic fins;
dorsal and anal fins set far back near tail
fin; small spiny projections (prickles) on
belly; prickles on head and back.
Similar Species
Differs from the smooth puffer by
having small spiny projections (prickles)
on its head and back; differs from
porcupinefishes by having a beak with 4
teeth (2 upper and 2 lower),
porcupinefish have only 1 upper and 1
lower teeth in beak, porcupinefishes
also have large spines, least puffer has
small prickles.
Hogchoker
Trinectes maculatus
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body round, flattened
laterally, both eyes on
right side of body
(right-eyed), covered
with scales; color
brown, blotchy with
distinct vertical lines;
pectoral fins absent
on both sides of body;
upper eye in advance
of lower eye; yellow
color on fins.
Similar Species
Lined sole has no
distinct lines on body
and has pectoral fin
on ocular side;
fringed sole has pale
body with thick
distinct black lines, no
scales and eyes are
aligned.
Pinfish
Lagodon rhomboides
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body moderately deep, compressed, color silver, olive, bluish with
yellow horizontal lines on sides; dark spot on shoulder; 6 diffuse vertical
bars on sides; mouth small; front teeth in both jaws incisor-like, directed
outward, teeth deeply notched; posterior nostril oval; 1st dorsal spine
small, projected forward; no scales between eye and mouth; preopercle
not serrated.
Similar Species
Differs from the pigfish by having a shorter snout, larger eye and a
shoulder spot (not present on the pigfish).
Scaled sardine
Harengula jaguana
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body moderately deep, compressed; color green-blue above, sides and belly silvery,
faint spot behind opercle; dorsal and caudal fins yellowish with dusky tips; typical
herring mouth (short, deep lower jaw hidden by wide rounded upper jaw); belly with
serrated keel; no frontal notch in upper jaw; no enlarged scales on back in front of
dorsal fin; shoulder under opercle with 2 small lobes.
Similar Species
Scaled sardine does not have an elongated, filamentous last dorsal ray and it has 2
lobes on shoulder under opercle.
Threadfin shad
Dorosoma petenense
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body moderately elongate, compressed; color green-blue above, sides and
belly silvery, faint spot behind opercle; dorsal and caudal fins yellowish with
dusky tips; typical herring mouth (short, deep lower jaw hidden by wide
rounded upper jaw); belly with serrated keel; no frontal notch in upper jaw;
no enlarged scales on back in front of dorsal fin; last dorsal ray elongated,
filamentous; shoulder inside opercle with no lobes.
Similar Species
Threadfin shad, gizzard shad and Atlantic thread herring are the only
herrings (off Texas) where the last dorsal ray is elongated and filamentous;
threadfin shad has a terminal mouth (subterminal in gizzard shad), no
frontal notch on upper jaw as in gizzard shad, also has no lobes on shoulder
under opercle as in the Atlantic thread herring.
Bighead searobin
Prionotus tribulus
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body elongate, head large with bony ridges and spines, width between
eyes large; color dark with greenish-gray mottling on back, some black
markings or dark and light spots; black oblique bar below soft dorsal fin;
belly white; 1st dorsal with black spot; pectoral fin large, wing-like,
lower 3 rays free, finger-like; pectoral fins dark with lighter bands, no
spots, sometimes with yellow edges, white edge on underside of
pectoral fin.
Similar Species
Dark pectoral fin with lighter banding with no spots and the oblique bar
under soft dorsal fin distinguish this species from other searobins; flying
gurnards are similar to searobins but their pectoral fins do not have free
rays.
Bigeye searobin
Prionotus longispinosus
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body elongate, head large with bony ridges and spines; width between eyes
narrow; color reddish brown above, belly and lower sides white; no black
oblique bar below soft dorsal fin; 1st dorsal with black spot with white area
underneath; 2nd dorsal fin orangish with white spots; pectoral fin large,
wing-like, lower 3 rays free; pectoral fins dark with white spots with blue
margins, dark blotch on lower edge, sometimes with yellow edges;
underside of pectoral fin dark with white posterior margin; anal fin dusky
with white margin.
Similar Species
White spots on a dark pectoral fin and peculiar white and black spot on
dorsal fin distinguish this species from other searobins; flying gurnards are
similar to searobins but their pectoral fins do not have free rays.
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body elongate; snout
somewhat pointed; mouth
oblique; color pale yellow to
off-white, lateral silvery stripe;
white swimbladder apparent
through flesh; 2 dorsal fins, 1st
dorsal fin with spines only;
pectoral fins sit high on sides of
body; pigment on back in
parallel rows; scales rough to
touch; caudal fin with dusky
margin.
Similar Species
The inland silverside has scales
on back outlined with dark
pigment and its scales are
smooth to the touch; anchovies
have a snout that protrudes
past the mouth.
Rough silverside
Membras martinica
Spot
Leiostomus xanthurus
Gulf menhaden
Brevoortia patronus
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body anteriorly deep;
compressed; color silvery gray,
darker above; oblique streaks on
upper sides; dark spot on upper
end of gill plate; dorsal fin with
deep notch; caudal fin truncate
to emarginate; lateral line
extends onto caudal fin.
Similar Species
Atlantic croakers have a golden
color to them, body not as deep
as spots, caudal fin is double
emarginate; no shoulder spot.
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body elongate, cylindrical, laterally
compressed posteriorly; head flat
on top; color bluish-black on back,
silvery on sides; no dark spots on
scales, no horizontal stripes on
sides; dark blotch at base of
pectoral fin; pigment around eye
limited to upper iris; gold spot on
shoulder (upper opercle).
Similar Species
Differs from the striped mullet by
having no horizontal stripes,
pigment on eye limited to upper
iris, has a gold spot on shoulder;
juveniles can be distinguished by
counting elements (spines and rays)
in anal fin (12 for white mullet, 11
for striped mullet).
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body elongate and moderately
compressed; color silvery to gray,
sometimes with yellow tinge; darker
mottling on sides; pectoral fins dark
on posterior margin; 1 barbel on
chin; dorsal fin with deep notch;
inside of gill plate dusky; scales on
chest about the same size as those
on sides; mouth subterminal; caudal
fin pointed (juveniles) or S-shaped
(adults).
Similar Species
Gulf kingfish has no darker markings
on side and inside of gill plate is pale;
northern kingfish has more distinct
diagonal bars and a horizontal stripe
on sides, its 2nd dorsal spine is
elongate and reaches past the
beginning of the soft dorsal rays
Southern kingfish
Menticirrhus americanus
Silver seatrout
Cynoscion nothus
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body elongate and moderately compressed; color grayish above, silvery
below, no spots; lower jaw protruding slightly, mouth supraterminal;
inside of mouth orange; 2 fang-like teeth on tip of upper jaw; dorsal fin
with deep notch; caudal fin S-shaped in adults, pointed in juveniles; 1/2
of soft dorsal fin base covered in scales; anal fin base about the same
length as eye diameter.
Similar Species
Sand and silver seatrout are difficult to distinguish, the best way is to
count the anal fin rays, silver seatrout have 9 rays, sand seatrout have
10 or 11 rays; sand seatrout have scales covering 1/3 of the soft dorsal
fin base (1/2 or more in silver seatrout); spotted seatrout have spots on
sides.
Southern flounder
Paralichthys lethostigma
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body oval, almost football-shaped, flattened laterally; both eyes on left side of body (lefteyed); color brown sometimes with light and dark blotches but no distinct spots, white
underneath (right side); high arch in anterior lateral line just behind head; forehead flat;
eyes far apart; mouth oblique, large, upper jaw reaching to behind eye.
Similar Species
Gulf and ocellated flounders both have high arch in lateral line like the southern flounder,
but both have distinct spots; southern has no distinct spots; only Gulf flounder gets near
the size of the southern flounder.
Inshore lizardfish
Synodus foetens
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body very elongate, cylindrical;
snout pointed; mouth large,
extending posteriorly well beyond
eye; needle-like teeth in both
jaws, tongue and roof of mouth
with teeth (rough patches); color
golden brown above, whitish
below, young with diamondshaped blotches on the sides;
adipose fin present; 1 dorsal fin,
no spines, at about center of
back; inner rays of pelvic fins
much longer than outer rays.
Similar Species
Offshore lizardfish has fleshy knob
on its chin; in the largescale and
smallscale lizardfishes, the rays of
the pelvic fins are of equal length
(inner rays much longer that
outer rays in the inshore
lizardfish).
Atlantic stingray
Dasyatis sabina
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body dorsoventrally flattened;
outer edges of pectoral fins
rounded; snout pointed; color
tan to light brown above;
slender tail, longer than disk
width, usually with 1 strong,
serrated spine at base; no
dorsal or caudal fins; low dorsal
and ventral folds on tail; a row
of thorns along midline of back.
Similar Species
The bluntnose stingray as welldeveloped dorsal and ventral
tail folds; the southern stingray
has angular pectoral fins;
roughtail stingray has more
body spines.
Bonnethead shark
Sphyrna tiburo
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body elongate, laterally compressed; head flattened
dorsoventrally, shovel-shaped, evenly rounded with no
indentations, lateral expansions short; 1st dorsal fin high and
narrow; 2nd dorsal fin smaller than 1st; teeth small and smooth,
rear teeth molar-like; color gray above, pale to white below.
Similar Species
Other hammerheads have hammer-shaped heads where lateral
extensions are longer, the contour of the head has indentations
(smooth in bonnetheads).
Atlantic sharpnose shark
Rhizoprionodon terraenovae
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body elongate; snout moderately long and pointed; color brown to gray above, pale
below, a few scattered white spots on sides; the origin of the 2nd dorsal fin is posterior to
the origin on the anal fin; no interdorsal ridge; 2nd dorsal fin and caudal fin with dark
edges; labial folds (in the corners of the mouth) well-developed, long; upper teeth angular,
notch on outer edge, inner edge finely serrated.
Similar Species
This is the only shark with its dorsal fin origin behind to anal fin origin, except for the
smalltail shark which has short labial furrows and strongly serrated teeth.
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Bell gelatinous, bowl-shaped,
broader than deep; color is
translucent to opaque white,
usually has small white spots
and radiating reddish brown
stripes; the bell is slightly
indented (notched) in 8 spots, 1
long tentacle emerges from
each notch, several shorter
tentacles emerge from between
the notches, 24-40 tentacles in
all; 4 long convoluted oral arms
hang beneath the bell; sting is
moderate to severe.
Similar Species
The radiating brown stripes
distinguish this jelly from others.
Sea nettle
Chrysaora quinquechirrha
Sand dollar
Mellita quinquiesperforata
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body round, flat with an upward slope towards the center, rigid; no arms;
color usually green but can be tan, brown or gray; body covered with
short spines; bottom side flat with mouth in the center and anus to the
side; mouth with 5 jaws with teeth arranged in a circle (called Aristotle's
lantern); bottom with tube feet; top with specialized tube feet, called
petalloids, each with 2 rows of pores arranged in the shape of a 5-petal
flower; 5 oval-shaped holes (lunules) through skeleton, 1 pair near the
top, 1 pair near the bottom and 1 large hole between bottom pair (young
may not have 5 holes yet, notches mark where lunules will eventually
develop).
Similar Species
This is the only species of sand dollar found off Texas.. Another
species, M. tenuis, occurs in the Gulf of Mexico but is limited to east of the
Mississippi River. It has much smaller spines than our sand dollar.
Clypeaster
"cake urchins" or "sea biscuits"
Gray sea star
Luidia clathrata
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body star-shaped with 5 arms; color
gray to light brown, dark gray or black
stripe on the dorsal midline of each
arm; upper surface of body covered
with small plates, lower surface of
arms contain tube feet used for
locomotion; lower surface of disk
(center part) contains the oral cavity
(mouth).
Similar Species
Similar to the banded sea star, Luidia
alternata, which has brown banding
across arm on a lighter background.
The gray sea star has no banding.
Brown shrimp
Farfantepenaeus aztecus
Pink shrimp
Farfantepenaeus duorarum
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body shrimp-like; carapace smooth; color brown with some orange or yellow; no
lateral spot between 3rd and 4th abdominal segment; 1st abdominal segment
overlaps the 2nd segment; rostrum with 8-9 teeth above, 2 teeth below; groove an
both sides of rostrum extending almost to posterior edge of carapace; dorsolateral
grooves on the last abdominal segment broad and well defined; brown pigment on
uropods (tail fans) more concentrated on ends; 1st 3 pair of walking legs chelate (with
claws).
Similar Species
Similar to pink shrimp but pink shrimp have a lateral spot between 3rd and 4th
abdominal segment and their dorsolateral groove is so narrow that a fingernail
cannot fit into it. Brown shrimp differ from white shrimp by having dorsolateral
grooves on the last abdominal segment and the dorsolateral grooves on the carapace
extend nearly to posterior margin of carapace.
Brown shrimp
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body shrimp-like; carapace smooth; color pale to dark pink; dark lateral spot
at junction of 3rd and 4th abdominal segment; 1st abdominal segment
overlaps 2nd abdominal segment; rostrum with 8-9 teeth above, 2 teeth
below; groove an both sides of rostrum extending almost to edge of
carapace; dorsolateral grooves on the last abdominal segment narrow
(cannot put fingernail in groove); brown pigment on uropods (tail fans) are
evenly dispersed, not concentrated on ends; 1st 3 pair of walking legs
chelate (with claws).
Similar Species
Similar to brown shrimp but brown shrimp do not have a lateral spot
between 3rd and 4th abdominal segment and their dorsolateral groove is
broad enough for a fingernail to fit into it. Pink shrimp differ from white
shrimp by having dorsolateral grooves on the last abdominal segment and
the dorsolateral grooves on the carapace extend nearly to posterior margin
of carapace. Also white shrimp do not have the lateral spot.
Pink shrimp
White shrimp
Litopenaeus setiferus
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body shrimp-like; carapace smooth; color translucent bluish white; no lateral spot
between 3rd and 4th abdominal segment; 1st abdominal segment overlaps the 2nd
segment; rostrum with 7-9 teeth above, 2 teeth below; grooves on sides of rostrum
short, not extending past anterior half of carapace; no dorsolateral grooves on the
last abdominal segment; dark blotch on distal end of uropods (tail fans), distal
margins outlined with green pigment; 1st 3 pair of walking legs chelate (with
claws).
Similar Species
Differs from other penaeids by not having dorsal grooves on last abdominal
segment and dorsal groove on carapace not extending past anterior half of
carapace.
Mantis Shrimp (Squilla empusa)
Portly spider crab
Libinia emarginata
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Carapace round, narrowing at the
anterior end into an extended, slightly
forked rostrum (extended snout);
color brown; body tubercled with
spines and bumps; row of 8-9 spines
down the center of the carapace, the
anterior few more like bumps than
spines; thin walking legs; tips of legs
with curved points; claws small.
Similar Species
It's difficult to distinguish between the
portly and the longnose spider crabs,
except by counting the spines (bumps)
down the center of the carapace. The
portly has 8-9 (the anterior one just
small bumps) and the longnose has
less than 7 (usually 6).The longnose
has a more tear-drop shape, the portly
more rounded.
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Carapace round, narrowing
at the anterior end into an
extended, slightly forked
rostrum (extended snout);
color brown; body tubercled
with spines and bumps; row
of 7 or less (usually 6) spines
down the center of the
carapace; thin walking legs;
tips of legs with curved
points; claws small.
Similar Species
It's difficult to distinguish
between the portly and the
longnose spider crabs, except
by counting the spines
(bumps) down the center of
the carapace. The portly has
8-9 (the anterior one just
small bumps) and the
longnose has less than 7
(usually 6).The longnose has
a more tear-drop shape, the
portly more rounded.
Longnose spider crab
Libinia dubia
Blue crab
Callinectes sapidus
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Carapace broader than long, compressed; color olive green to
brown dorsally, yellowish to white underneath; legs olive, bluish
or brown; claws are long, palms with blue and white coloration,
fingers blue in adult males, red or orange in adult females,
juveniles with white fingers with red spot at base of fingers; last
pair of legs flattened into paddle-shaped appendages; 9 pair of
spines (including the outer orbital spines) along the lateral edges
of the carapace, the most posterior pair (called the lateral
spines) being about 3-4 times as long as the others; 4 low blunt
spines between the ocular orbits, (eye sockets), including the
inner orbit spines; spines on the inner margins of merus (2nd
segment from the claws) and outer carpus (segment next to
claw), no spine on inner dorsal carpus.
Similar Species
Lesser blue crabs look similar, but have 6 low spines between
the ocular orbits, the center pair extremely small, fingers on
claws never red, juveniles with bluish spot at base of fingers.
Atlantic brief squid
Lolliguncula brevis
Longfin inshore squid
Loligo pealeii
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body (mantle) cylindrical, stout,
bluntly rounded at tip; lateral fins
short, broad, rounded, wider than
long; eyes nearly lateral; has a
funnel behind the eyes; 8 short
arms (shorter than mantle length)
with sucker on the undersides
extending the length of the arms; 2
longer tentacles with suckers only
on the ends, ends spatulate
shaped; mouth with beak-like
teeth; color translucent with many
purple-red pigment cells
(chromatophores) on entire body.
Similar Species
The brief squid mantle is floppy,
not as slender as other squids, has
a blunt mantle tip, and is usually
not as pigmented as the other
squids.
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Body (mantle) cylindrical, long, slender, tip
pointed, lateral fins longer than wide,
exceeding 50% of mantle length in specimens
with mantle length > 7 cm (2 3/4 in); outer
edges at a blunt angle (not rounded), sides
nearly straight; eyes nearly lateral; has a funnel
behind the eyes; 8 short arms (shorter than
mantle length) with sucker on the undersides
extending the length of the arms; 2 longer
tentacles with suckers only on the ends, ends
spatulate shaped; mouth with beak-like teeth;
color translucent with many reddish pigment
cells (chromatophores) on entire body; the
internal pen has a vane width/rachis width ratio
of 2.4 or greater, edges are usually curved,
usually with no ridges.
Similar Species
The longfin inshore squid is more slender and
firm than the brief squid, its mantle tip is hard
and pointed; its fins are long and rhomboidal
shaped, it usually more chromatophores than
the brief squid; It is more slender with longer
fins (usually >50% of mantle length) than the
arrow squid; its pen is wider at the vane usually
with curved edges and rarely with ridges; the
pen of the arrow squid is narrower usually with
straight edges and usually has ridges.
Texas coquina
Donax texasianus
Distinguishing
Characteristics
Bivalve (2 shells); shell sturdy, almost triangular in shape, moderately inflated,
anterior end longer, both anterior and posterior ends somewhat angular; color
whitish with some light blue, pink or yellow; rarely rayed; fine concentric growth
lines and fine radial ribs; ribs lightly beaded on posterior end; ventral posterior
margin crenulate (scalloped), inside ventral margin crenulate.
Similar Species
Similar to the variable coquina, but the Texas coquina is smaller (<0.8 cm), more
inflated, ventral margin is more rounded, left valve overlaps right valve on ventral
margin, and its posterior ribs are lightly beaded..
http://sharonapbio-taxonomy.wikispaces.com/Animalia-Chordata--Fishes
http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/mrri/acechar/specgal/fish.htm
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/
http://txmarspecies.tamug.edu/fish%20names%20table.cfm
http://txmarspecies.tamug.edu/mollusklist.cfm