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History: SPID How to differentiate similar fish species
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Source of version: 9
(current)
::''This page augments ((SPID Raja Ampat diving trip|#Dive_Torches|these flashcards)). __Ctrl+click the Species thumbnails links below.__'':: !How to differentiate similar fish species Below are some notes I made when first coming to grips with how to tell similar species apart. On my PC with a large screen, I found it useful to open up tabs of fishbase.org thumbnails for each of the difficult species below, so that I could figure out which features of a fish were the actual differentiators between similar species. I am not sure that I have properly learnt how to do this, and I have marked my contributions with a "-JFB" to warn of my lack of expertise. __''I suggest you open each thumbnails link below in a new browser tab (e.g. by Ctrl+Clicking it) so that you can get an accurate idea of how to tell these similar species apart.''__ (I set up these links by copying the Column C entry from the ((SPID Updating the fish Species ID flashcards|source spreadsheet)) into the Tiki text.) {FANCYTABLE(head=>Species~|~Common Name~|~Notes)} ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Heniochus&Species=acuminatus|Heniochus acuminatus]''~|~Longfin Bannerfish~|~Compared to the Schooling Bannerfish, the bottom-rear fin of the Longfin Bannerfish is longer and has a rounded end, unlike the Schooling Bannerfish which has a smaller and more angular end. Other differences: ''H. acuminatus'' has a longer snout than ''H. diphreutes'', and the spots on its snout are darker. ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Heniochus&Species=diphreutes|Heniochus diphreutes]''~|~Schooling Bannerfish~|~see above ~|~ ~|~ ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Heniochus&Species=monoceros|Heniochus monoceros]''~|~Masked Bannerfish~|~usually darker in lower half of face (lower half may start above eyes). - JFB ~|~ ~|~ ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Heniochus&Species=chrysostomus|Heniochus chrysostomus]''~|~Pennant Bannerfish~|~3 distinct parallel brown bands, with last at trailing edge ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Heniochus&Species=varius|Heniochus varius]''~|~Humphead Bannerfish~|~humphead and two distinct white bands in almost meeting upside-down V. - JFB ~|~ ~|~ ''Variola''~|~Lyretails~|~I don't think you can tell the 2 species of this Genus apart just by looking at photos of them. - JFB ~|~ ~|~ ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Cephalopholis&Species=argus|Cephalopholis argus]''~|~Peacock grouper~|~very difficult to distinguish from the Blue Spotted - JFB ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Cephalopholis&Species=cyanostigma|Cephalopholis cyanostigma]''~|~Blue spotted grouper~|~very difficult to distinguish from the Peacock - JFB ~|~ ~|~ ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Coradion&Species=altivelis|Coradion altivelis]''~|~Highfin Butterflyfish~|~Generally, H. altivelis has a high fin, V-ish bands, and it might have a false eye. - JFB ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Coradion&Species=chrysozonus|Coradion chrysozonus]''~|~Orange-banded Butterflyfish~|~Generally, C. chrysozonus has a top false eye with a white border, and often has a black spot at the base of its tail. Generally the first two bands are very close and touch at the bottom. - JFB ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Coradion&Species=melanopus|Coradion melanopus]''~|~Two-eyed Butterflyfish~|~Generally: distinct/close/V-ish bands, distinct top false eye with white border. It often has a lower false eye, and lacks orange at its front. - JFB ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Parachaetodon&Species=ocellatus|Parachaetodon ocellatus]''~|~Ocellated Coralfish~|~Generally: distinct bands, with a top false eye. - JFB ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Chelmon&Species=muelleri|Chelmon muelleri]''~|~Blackfin Coralfish~|~Generally: black lower fin, distinct bands except rear 2 bands meet at top with tan in between them; orange band over gills and below eye - JFB ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Chaetodon&Species=auriga|Chaetodon auriga]''~|~Threadfin Butterflyfish~|~Generally, C. auriga has 90 degree marks like C. vagabundus, but with a threadfin and orange/yellow rear quarter. - JFB ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Chaetodon&Species=vagabundus|Chaetodon vagabundus]''~|~Vagabond Butterflyfish~|~Generally, C. vagabundus is like C. auriga, but with two vertical black stripes on yellow rear quarter. - JFB ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Chaetodon&Species=semeion|Chaetodon semeion]''~|~Dotted Butterflyfish~|~Generally, this fish has a threadfin and has black dots on yellow and a blue forehead and a black eyepatch. - JFB ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Chaetodon&Species=selene|Chaetodon selene]''~|~Yellow-dotted Butterflyfish~|~Generally, this has yellow diagonal dots on white background, then black & then outside yellow rear border. -JFB ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Chaetodon&Species=ocellicaudus|Chaetodon ocellicaudus]''~|~Spot-tail Butterflyfish~|~Generally: black & white diagonal lines with yellow rear border and black spot on tail. - JFB ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Chaetodon&Species=melannotus|Chaetodon melannotus]''~|~Black-backed Butterflyfish~|~Generally: diagonal black and white dots, then _black_ & then outside yellow rear border. - JFB ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Chaetodon&Species=lineolatus|Chaetodon lineolatus]''~|~Lined Butterflyfish~|~Generally: black lines on white, then black & then outside yellow rear border. - JFB ~|~ ~|~ ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Chaetodon&Species=mertensii|Chaetodon mertensii]''~|~Yellow-backed Butterflyfish~|~Generally: black verticle thru eye and above, chevroned black dots with 150 degree angle, then yellow white yellow. - JFB ~|~ ~|~ ''[https://www.fishbase.de/photos/thumbnailssummary.php?Genus=Chaetodon&Species=adiergastos|Chaetodon adiergastos]''~|~Panda Butterflyfish~|~Generally: black around eyes and a black nape, but with diagonal lines of black dots on white leading to a yellow border. -JFB {FANCYTABLE} (Note to BC; everyone else can ignore this: Reverse image search of BC photo BC_B041 for "Heniochus acuminatus" instead suggests Chaetodon burgessi a.k.a. Black-barred butterflyfish (or Chaetodon tinkeri, also discussing Chaetodon flavocoronatus and Chaetodon declivis).)
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