A is for the Atlantic needlefish

These lovely fish are round - bodied fish.  They reach about 25 inches in length and their color ranges from yellow - green to a navy blue.  Their scales are small and cycloid in shape.  These fish are most commonly found in coastal waters, estuarine habitats, and sometimes in freshwater tributaries.  In the IRL they are most commonly found in sea grasses, mangrove creeks, and mosquito impoundments.  The needlefish resembles the pipefish.  They have about the same body shape but the pipefish is much larger in size.  There is also a difference in position of fins so they are not easily confused for one another.  The pipefish’s location ranges from the Gulf of Mexico to the South part of Brazil, excluding the Bahamas.

B is for the Bay Anchovy

This wonderful fish has a thin silvery line that runs along its body from the gill plate to the caudal peduncle.  It’s color ranges from green blue - green.  The Bay Anchovy reaches about 6 inches in length.  It has fairly large eyes, mouth, and inferior.  The Bay Anchovy is most commonly found in estuaries, river mouths, bays, and of course the IRL.  The Bay Anchovy resembles the Striped Anchovy.  The Striped Anchovy is slightly larger and more compressed than the Bay Anchovy.  Also, the Striped Anchovy is more commonly found in near shore coastal waters rather than on estuaries.  The Bay Anchovy’s location ranges from the Gulf of Maine South through Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.  The Bay Anchovy feeds primarily on Plankton even though they have large mouths.

C is for the Common Snook

This amazing fish is a robust fish meaning it’s a strong and healthy fish that is powerfully built.  It reaches about 55 inches in length and can weigh up to about 60 pounds.  It is a dull green color with a yellow to green tint while its fins are often bright yellow.  Females are generally larger than male fish of the same age.  The Common Snook is most commonly found in mangrove - fringed estuarine habitats and of course the IRL.  When juveniles they mainly live in fresh water. During their first 60 - 90 days they mainly live in salt marsh habitats.  During the next 4 - 5 months they mainly live in sea grass beds.  Then finally they are full grown they live in mangrove - fringed estuarine habitats where they live the rest of their lives.  The Common Snook reaches the mature stage at about 12 inches in length.  It resembles the Swordspine Snook.  The Common Snook’s location ranges from the coastal mid - Atlantic United States to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean islands. 

D is for the Dolphin fish

The Dolphin fish is also known as the Mahi - Mahi.  Its body color ranges from blue - green to yellow - green.  The dorsal fins are a blue - black color and the scales are cycloid in shape.  It is most commonly found in habitats near surface waters of open oceans, near shore coastal waters, estuaries, inlet areas, and of course the IRL.  Some have been spotted in the Atlantic, India, and Pacific oceans, usually between 35 degree N to 35-degree S latitudes.  In the western Atlantic their location ranges from Nova Scotia South to Brazil including Bermuda and the Gulf of Mexico

E is for the Eel (American Eel)

The American El is a large snake -like fish that can reach up to 5 feet in length.  Female American Eel are generally larger than male American Eel.  Their body color is usually brown or green dorsally and yellow to white ventrally.  Unlike most
Eels, the American Eel has both pyloric fins and scales.  The American Eel has no spine and their head is about one seventh of their body length.  Adult American Eel’s are most commonly found freshwater areas but baby larvae are found in near shore coastal waters and estuaries.  The American Eel’s location ranges from Labrador Coast South along the U.S. Coast and the Gulf of Mexico to Guyana in Northern South America.

F is for the Florida Pompano

This amazing fish is a member of the Jack family.  It is a fast swimming fish that grows between 17 - 26 inches in length and can weigh up to 8 pounds.  Its main body color is silver and its fins are usually yellow in color.  It has dark shades of blue, blue - green, and blue - black on its dorsal.  The Florida Pompano’s dorsal fins contain 6 short spines and its anal fins contain 3 spines.  They are most commonly found in bays, estuaries, near shore coastal waters, the IRL, and open seas to the depths of about 200 feet.  They can also be found in sandy beaches with high wave energy but are not common in coral reef habitats.  The Florida Pompano location ranges from the coast of Massachusetts South to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the West Indies, but excluding the Bahamas. 

G is for the Gulf Pipefish

The gulf pipefish's real name is Syngnathus scovelli. It can grow up to 18.3 cm. That is very small! The gulf pipefish can live up to 3 years. They live in a tropical climate, like Florida and the IRL. It has a very small anal fin.

References

Research

http://www.sms.si.edu/IRLSpec/Syngna_scovel.htm

http://filaman.uni-kiel.de/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=3306

http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/S/Syngnathus_scovelli/

Pictures

http://www.ifg.bioteck.org/Fish%20species/Stigmatopora%20narinosa.htm

 

 

H is for Hatchetfish

The Hatchetfish's real scientific name is Gasteropelecus sternicla. It comes from Brazil, Guyana, and Surinam. An adult hatchetfish can be up to 2.5 inches long. They are also very peaceful.heir life span is up to five years. They are carnivores and mostly eat insects.

I is for Indian Glassfish

Chanda range is the scientific name for the indian glassfish. It comes from several places, India, Burma, and Thailand. The biggest the glassfish can get is three inches. That's smaller than a pencil. It likes to eat live foods and flakes (which means it can also live in your fish tank). This is a softly colored, almost see-through, transparent fish.

The indian glassfish is shaped like a black skirt tetra. They are a member of the Centropomidae family which is a shy group of fish. They are peaceful and timid.

The indian glassfish can lay about two-hundred eggs in plants, and the eggs hatch in a day!

 

References

http://www.aquariacentral.com/fishinfo/brackish/glassf.htm

J is for Jordan's Catfish

The Jordan's catfish's scientific name is the Arius seemani. It originally came from California, Mexico, and Columbia. It is peaceful with larger fish.

The Jordan catfish can live ten years. Some live even longer. It grows to be about fourteen inches in length. That's larger than most men's feet!

The catfish lays eggs and are mouthbrooders.

References

http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/catfish1/p/jordanscatfish.htm

K is for the Kyphosus Sectatrix, commonly known as Bermuda Chub

This vertebrae has a length of 32 inches long. Its bright color is a pretty sight to humans but is a color of threat to other fish who want to prey on him. This fish likes to roam in shallow, clear parts of the Indian River Lagoon and is known to follow ships. Some people call it a rudderfish. I am good to eat and can also be fun to catch! I have a football shaped body and can grow to be 2 1/2 feet long! When you first look at me, you will think I am gray or silver with a white spot or two, but if you look really close, you'll see yellow stripes on my body and a white stripe under my eye from my mouth to my gill!
Sources:Photos:

• flickr.com
  

Research:

• Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce (www.sms.si.edu)

• answers.com

• reef.org

L is for the Lemon Tetra

The scientific name for the lemon tetra is Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis. The tetra came from the Amazon basin and can grow up to two inches. They are nice fish, and eats flake food and vegetables.

 

References

http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-species/freshwater-profiles/lemon-tetra-2.aspx

http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/characins2/p/lemontetra.htm

http://www.petfish.net/kb/entry/145/

M is for Manatee

 

Manatee's are large, fully aquatic marine mammals. Also known as the "sea cows". Manatees are mainly herbivores. Manatees swim about 5km to 8km(3 to 5mph).Manatees inhabit the shallow, marshy coastal areas and rivers of the Caribbean sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Manatees eat many plants such as mangrove leaves,turtle grass,and different types of algae.

O is for Otocinclus

The scientific is the Otocinclus vestitus.They can be up to two inches.They can live three to five years.They come from South America.This is a peaceful fish and does well when in small schools.They will lay eggs on plant leaves.The male is usually larger than a female at the same age.They are herbivores.

References

http://www.fishlore.com/profiles_otocinclus.htm

P is for the Pelicans

 

Pelicans Pelicans live along our waterways and love to catch fish. There are more than 6 kinds of pelican species. Pelicans have a big throat pouch to catch fish. It is sort of like a big net that scoops them up. The kind of pelican that lives in our area is the Brown Pelican. You can seen them diving from high in the air to catch fish below in the water. After they catch the fish, they just tip their head back and swallow it. Baby pelicans are fed by their parents by sticking their bill inside to pull out fish.	Pelican picture by Dana

 

Q is for Quiscalus major

The real name for a quiscalus major is a boat-tailed grackle. It is a large, long-tailed blackbird. It is found only in the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of the US. You will find this noisy bird on power lines and telephone poles.

The males are black, and females are dull brown.

 

References:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Boat-tailed_Grackle.html

R is for the Racoon

Everyone has heard of a racoon! They are everywhere. Raccoons are nocturnal, which means they are active at night. They have sharp teeth, and are funny animals. People call them bandits, not because of their masked eyes, but because they like to take things! Did you know a racoon will often clean it's food? We have caught a racoon washing it's food in our pool! Gross!
			Photo by Dana (see References page)
Did you know raccoons are good climbers? They also like to be by themselves.

References:

http://fohn.net/racoon-pictures-facts/racoon-facts.html

 

 

S is for the Swordtail

 

It has some general color variations. The wild form is olive green with a red and brown lateral stripe and speckles on the dorsal and sometimes caudal fins. The male's sword is yellow, the bottom edge is black. It's real name is Xiphophorous helleri. Xiphophorous means "bearing a sword." The female's get up to 4.5 inches males are a little smaller at 4.0 inches. They will sometimes eat their own	Male
and other fishes. Occasionally a swordtail can become a bully, especially older males. Their life span is 3-5 years. Swordtails are omnivores. They eat worms, crustaceans, insects and plant matter. Swordtails are tropical fish which can survive in freshwater and brackish water. They can survive in degraded waterways that native fish cannot.	Female

 

 

Sources:

Photos:

• www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb/14085.html

  
  

Research:

• www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb/14085.html
• www.fishlore.com
• www.animalworld.com/Profiles-Swordtail.htm

 

T is for the Tomate

 

Tomate's scientific name is Haemulon Aurolineatum. It can grow up to 10 to 11 inches and weighs less than 1 pound. Tomate are omnivorous bottom feeders that forage for small crustaceans, mollusks, worms, and other bottom-dwelling invertebrates as well as plankton and algae. Tomate have a slim, silver-white body with gray to tan on the back, yellowish pelvic and anal fins, and a bright orange-red mouth lining.

A yellow to brown stripe runs from eye to eye to the base of the tail. The first dorsal fin, which as 13 spines, is connected to the second dorsal fin, which has usually 15 rays. The anal fin has three spines and nine rays, and the pectoral fin has usually 17 rays. The tomtate's eggs are deposited and fertilized in the open water and are not guarded.

 

 

Sources:

Photos:

• www.safcm.net/fishID and Regs/Fish

  
  

Research:

• www.dto.com/swfishing/species
• www.floridamarine.org/gallery/image_details

U is for Urosalpinx Cinerea

A Urosalpinx Cinerea is called the Atlantic Oyster Drill. It is a crab with a drill shaped shell. The shell 9-12 vertical, rounded ribs crossed with 15 rows of thinner spiral ridges.

You will find the urosalpinx cinerea in the oyster reefs of the IRL. This is because they like to eat oysters - yum! They live 5-8 years.

Urosalpinx cinerea is an invasive species in many parts of the world. It is brought to a new area by people! It was first found on the Pacific Coast and Canada. It then went to the United Kingdom. All of this travel was done on ships!

 

References

www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Urosalpinx_cinerea.htm 

V is for Vallentinia gabriellae

 

The vallentinia gabriellae is the scientific name for the hitch-hiking jellyfish. This jellyfish came from the southern coast of Brazil, and was found in the Indian River Lagoon in the 1990s, by Vero Beach.

This jellyfish uses it's tentacles to sting it's prey. It would eat zooplankton, but prefers larger food items.

Yes, this is something else that can sting you!

 

References

www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/vallen-gabrie.htm 

W is for the Walking Catfish

A walking catfish's scientific name is Clarias batrachus. They are typically a shade of gray brown with many small white spots laterally. Their head is flat and broad and the body tapers to the tail. This species of catfish is scaleless with four pairs of barbles. The dorsal and anal fins are very long. Unlike our native catfishes, there is not adipse fin in the walking catfish. They build nests of debris or submerged vegetation. They feed on a variety of prey including eggs, or larvae of other fish, small fish, and a number of crustaceans and insects. Did you know walking catfish are considered an INVASIVE SPECIES? It is called a walking catfish because it can walk to different water! This fish was imported to Florida from Thailand in the 1960. The fish has spread through the waterways and also WALKING to new water in the state. These fish have invaded fish farms im Florida. The farmers had to make fences to keep the fish out of their ponds! In some places in South Florida, it is estimated that there is 3000 pounds of walking catfish per acre! Anyone hungry?	Walking Catfish   Video Created by Ed Perry
Photo by Howard Chang	This is Laura Bax taking a walking catfish for a walk! Photo by Tyler Bax

 

 

Sources:

Photos:

• www.flikr.com

Video:

• YouTube

Research:

• www.in.gov/dnr/files
• www.columbia.edu

 

X is for Xiphophorus Variatus

Their FishBase name is the Varible Platyfish, and is commonly known as the sunset platy. They eat algae, insects, insect larvae, worms, and Brine Shrimp. They are peaceful fish too. The platyfish can reach 5 centimeters for the males and 7 centimeters for the females.

References

Pictures:

http://www.zoo-logics.com/vissen/levendbarende%20tandkarpers.htm

Research:

http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/649.htm

 

 

 

 

Y is for the Yellowtail Snapper

A Yellowtail snapper's scientific name is Ocyrus Chrysarus. It's back and upper sides are olive to bluish with yellow spots. It's lower sides and belly have longitudinal pink and yellow stripes. It's obvious yellow stripe in the middle begins at it's mouth and ends at it's tail. It gets wider as it reaches the dorsal fin. It weighs up to 3 pounds. It's life span is 6-14 years! An adult yellowtail snapper may reach a maximum of 30 inches - that's about 2 1/2 feet!. They are nocturnal predators. They feed on organisms including crabs, shrimp, cephalopods, worms, and fish. Natural predators of adult yellowtail snappers include sharks and other predatory fish, like barracuda, mackerel, grouper, and other snapper species.

Photos:

• www.safmc.net

Research:

• http://indian-river.fl.us/fishing/fish/snapyt.htm
• www.safmc.net

Z is for Zoobotryon

No, we didn't make up the name. A zoobotryo is all over the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), and is a bryozoan.

It grows throughout the summer. Te zoobotryo helps keep the IRL ecosystem healthy by filtering particles from the water, like phytoplankton.

The zoobotryo lives in the seagrasses, drift algae, oyster reef, dock, pilings, breakwaters, and man-made waste (or pollution).

K. Hill, Smithsonian Marine Station said it the best in her report "Bryozoans are ecologically important in the Indian River Lagoon due to their feeding method. As suspension feeders, they act as living filters in the marine environment. For example, Winston (1995) reported that bryozoan colonies located in 1 square meter of seagrass bed could potentially filter and recirculate an average of 48,000 gallons of seawater per day."

 

Photos:

Research:

• http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/zoobot_vertic.htm