Fish of the Florida Keys

 What fish species can be found in the waters around the Florida Keys in the summer months?

    Many species of fish were observed in late July while snorkeling in areas around Key Largo, Florida. Some of the species spotted include the Bermuda chub, sergeant major, yellowtail snapper, bluehead wrasse, various parrotfish, various angelfish, barracuda, and spotfin butterflyfish. Of these, the species seen in the most abundance were the Bermuda chub, sergeant major, and yellowtail snapper.

Bermuda Chub

    Bermuda Chubs are commonly found in and around clearwater reefs. As juveniles, they have been found to remain near floating pieces of sargassum. Bermuda Chubs live in warm waters around the world. In addition to the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, they can be found in the Mediterranean Sea and the Caribbean Sea. They inhabit the waters around the southern part of Japan, the northern part of New Zealand, and the eastern part of Australia as well.

                                                                         Bermuda Chub

Sergeant Major

    Sergeant Majors are usually found at the bottom of coral reefs. They are commonly found in the Pacific Ocean and around Costa Rica in areas with warmer water. During certain times of the year, they form large groups of up to 100 individuals of this species. The reason for forming these big groups is for feeding purposes. Though they are very common in these areas, Sergeant Majors can still be found worldwide in warm waters. Their habitat in the Atlantic Ocean ranges from Rhode Island to Uruguay. It is also common to find them around islands in the mid-Atlantic region.

                                                                                                Sergeant Major

Yellowtail Snapper

    Yellowtail Snappers are often found in the western regions of the Atlantic Ocean. Their habitat ranges from Massachusetts to Brazil. It also extends to Bermuda, the Caribbean Ocean, and the Gulf of Mexico. The place they have been observed to be the most abundant in is the Bahamas. They are found in the Atlantic Ocean, ranging from Massachusetts to the southern parts of Brazil. They have also been found to live in the waters around Bermuda. Other bodies of water that they inhabit include the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

                                                                                         Yellowtail Snapper

    While these three species were observed the most, there were also multiple barracuda seen. As for the bluehead wrasse, parrotfish, angelfish, and spotfin butterflyfish, only one of each of those species was observed in the two hours spent snorkeling in the waters off of Key Largo, Florida. The three species mentioned in detail above all live in warm waters, hence why so many were found in this area in late July. The other species mentioned, while they do inhabit tropical waters, can also be found in other places as well.