BONEFISH – Albula vulpes
Family Albulidae, BONEFISHES
Description: silvery color with bluish or greenish back; slender, round body; snout long, conical, aiming downward and overhanging lower jaw; dark streaks between scales on upper half of body and faint crossbands extending down to lateral line; extremities of dorsal and caudal fins shaded with black.
Similar fish: ladyfish, Elops saurus.
Where found: primarily INSHORE fish inhabiting shallows of the Florida Keys; found in shallows often less than 1 foot deep, usually over lush grass flats, occasionally over white sand.
Size: 3 to 5 pounds.
Remarks: travels in loose schools; roots out shrimp, shellfish, crabs, and fish from the bottom; spawns offshore, eggs hatching into ribbon-like larvae that metamorphose into fish-like form at about 2 inches and move inshore.
- SAILFISH – Istiophorus platypterus
- WHITE MARLIN – Tetrapterus albidus
- BLUE MARLIN – Makaira nigricans
- LONGBILL SPEARFISH – Tetrapturus pfluegeri
- SWORDFISH – Xiphias gladius
- DOLPHIN – Coryphaena hippurus
- BLACKFIN TUNA – Thunnus atlanticus
- YELLOWFIN TUNA – Thunnus albacares
- LITTLE TUNNY – Euthynnus alletteratus
- WAHOO – Acanthocybium solanderi
- SPANISH MACKEREL – Scomberomorus maculatus
- CERO (cero mackerel) – Scomberomorus regalis
- KING MACKEREL – Scomberomorus cavalla
- GREAT BARRACUDA – Sphyraena barracuda
- BAY ANCHOVY – Anchoa mitchilli
- STRIPED ANCHOVY – Anchoa hepsetus
- STRIPED MOJARRA – Diapterus plumieri
- STRIPED (BLACK) MULLET – Mugil cephalus
- FANTAIL MULLET – Mugil gyrans
- ATLANTIC SPADEFISH – Chaetodipterus faber
- GAFFTOPSAIL CATFISH – Bagre marinus
- HARDHEAD CATFISH – Arius felis
- GULF FLOUNDER – Paralichthys albigutta
- SPOT – Leiostomus xanthurus