| Family | Scientific Name | Author | Year | Common Name |
| Haemulidae | Haemulon melanurum | (Linnaeus) | 1758 | Cottonwick |
All Haemulon: Dorsal-fin spines 12 or more. No enlarged spines on preopercle. Soft portions of dorsal and anal fins densely scaled nearly to margins. In fresh specimens, inner lining of mouth typically red.
Haemulon melanurum
Unique Characteristics: Bronze to yellow stripes on head and sides. Black band runs from nape along dorsal profile to caudal fin. Lower portion of dorsal fin black. Soft portions of dorsal and anal fins densely scaled nearly to margins. In fresh specimens, inner lining of mouth typically red. Dorsal-fin spines 12. Black stripe extends along upper body from below anterior dorsal fin to both lobes of caudal fin. Less than 8 faint yellow stripes.
Similar Species:
Margate, Haemulon album. Dorsal-fin spines 12. No yellow stripes, or faint and not extending through length of caudal peduncle. Dorsal-fin soft rays 16 or 17; anal-fin soft rays 7 or 8. Stripes, when present on head, fewer than 5 and not blue.
Tomtate, Haemulon aurolineatum. Dorsal-fin spines 13 or 14. Base of caudal fin usually with dark brown or black spot. Scale rows below lateral line typically parallel to long axis of body.
White Grunt, Haemulon plumierii. Dorsal-fin spines 12. Scales above anterior lateral line approximately twice the size of those below. Dark stripes on head, only faint stripes on body. Dorsal and caudal fins brown-grey to pale yellow.
Bluestriped Grunt, Haemulon sciurus. Dorsal-fin spines 12. Approximately equal-sized scales above and below lateral line. Many blue stripes along length of upper and lower body. Portion of dorsal and caudal fins black.
Striped Grunt, Haemulon striatum. Dorsal-fin spines 13 or 14. Base of caudal fin without dark spot. Scale rows below lateral line typically oblique to long axis of body. Normally five yellow to brown longitudinal stripes on body, none ventrally. Dorsal-fin soft rays typically 13 or 14, range of 12-15; anal-fin soft rays typically 8, range of 7-9.
Boga, Haemulon vittatum. Small (to 25 cm), with elongate, fusiform body and highly protractile upper jaw. The open mouth can be extended greatly forward and downward. Dorsal fins not widely separated by a deep notch; the second spines connected by an interradial membrane. First dorsal fin with 14-17 spines and second dorsal fin with 2 spines and 10 or 9 soft rays, respectively. Anal fin with 3 spines and 8 or 10 soft rays. Caudal fin deeply forked. Teeth absent on jaws, vomer, and palatine. Two enlarged chin pores.
