Lutjanus cyanopterus These solitary reef fish are large, almond-shaped carnivores that average 3 feet long but can grow to 5 feet long. They are gray to dark brown, with a continuous dorsal fin, longish pectoral fins, and a long caudal peduncle (tail) ending in a stout caudal fin. They are very s
They are very slender for fish in this family, but they do have the classic long
Pristis pectinata The sawfish derives its name from its elongated, blade-like snout, that is studded with „teeth“. While they look similar to sharks, they are actually highly derived rays. The smalltooth sawfish is one of five species of sawfishes found worldwide. Historically, the species had a
Sawfish have been protected in Florida waters since 1992, when a state ban on both
Caranx hippos This large fish is wonderfully abundant in the Atlantic Ocean, and popular resource for both commercial and sports fishers alike. The juvenile is striped vertically along its sides, but as it matures, it changes to an even greenish-bluish above and silver or golden below. Usually ad
Danger to Humans There have been some reports of ciguatera poisoning associated
In the 1930s, professor H.B.
Florida Museum photo by Kristen Grace Harley B Sherman’s collection journal.
Rhincodon typus These sharks are recognizable not just for being the largest fish in the sea, but also for their unique patterns. They are filter feeders, often swimming near the surface of the open sea; they gulp in water and filter everything from plankton and fish eggs to crustaceans and schoo
However, there have been a few cases of whale sharks ramming sportfishing boats,
Carcharhinus melanopterus A small-medium sized shark with recognizable black fin tips with white highlights. Blacktip reef sharks are abundant on coral reefs, making them a popular species in reef and dive tourism. They are also frequently displayed in aquaria. Order – Carcharhiniformes Famil
They are utilized for fins, meat and liver oil but have limited commercial value
Florida Museum of Natural History researchers are collecting marine invertebrates on the French Polynesian island of Moorea as part of a massive effort to inventory the DNA sequence of every living species there. The genetic information collected by scientists from the Florida Museum is part of a
While based at the UC Berkeley Richard B.
As University of Florida archaeologist Bill Keegan studies the ancient Lucayan people, inhabitants of the Caribbean for hundreds of years, he must rewrite the textbook on life in the Bahamas before Columbus. And then, he packs what he knows in a suitcase. Keegan, curator of Caribbean archaeolo
Caicos National Museum, and the memorial fund of archaeological volunteer James B.
Melbourne University of Florida Vertebrate Fossil Locality BR002 Location Western part of the city of Melbourne, Brevard County, Florida, at about 28.1° N, 80.6° W. Three separate localities were reported by Gidley and Loomis (1926), of which two produced almost all of the fossils in museum colle
B. Loomis and C. P. Singleton.
Negaprion brevirostris The lemon shark is easily recognized for its two, equally-sized dorsal fins and its yellow-brown to olive color- an ideal camouflage against the sandy in-shore areas they prefer to forage in. Lemon sharks average between 8 to 10 feet long as adults, but are generally not co
There have been no fatal attacks attributed to this species.
