The Error Checking team processes your surveys and as you may know- emails you asking for a photo or description about a possible questionable sighting. This two-step process ensures our database accuracy. Here are some common corrections the team comes across:

Remora- Sharksucker-Whitefin Sharksucker

What people report - Remora:  Often used as a general term by divers and snorkelers for all fish that attach on to larger fish. Remora is the family name for this group of fish. Actual Remoras tend to have a long, yet robust shaped body, and an overall greyish-brown color, sometimes with some speckling. They are often associated with a Giant Manta or a Whale Shark in pelagic waters.

What people most likely saw- Sharksucker:  This is the most common of the three species. Sharksuckers are the fish more commonly seen on sea turtles, sharks, larger fish and sometimes us! They have a long and slender gray body. As a juvenile, it has two thin white borders on its dark tail.

What people most likely saw- Whitefin Sharksucker: They have the the same coloration and body shape as a Sharksucker, but with wide white borders on the dark tail. Whitefin Sharksuckers white stripes tend to be a brilliant white.

These two can be tricky to distinguish if their tail is folded. A photo or close observation will help correctly identify between the two.

 

Fairy Basslet- Spanish Hogfish

What people report- Fairy Basslet in Florida/Florida Keys:  This region is out of geographic range for Fairy Basslets.

What people most likely saw-  Spanish Hogfish, juvenile: While young, these fish act as cleaners on the reef and have very distinct half purple and half yellow golden bodies just like the Fairy Basslet.

 

Neon Goby- Caribbean Neon Goby-Sharknose Goby

What people report - Neon Goby outside of Florida: The Neon Goby is found from Georgia to Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. This fish has a dark elongated body with an iridescent blue stripe along the side of their body that runs to just after their eye. 

What people most likely saw - Caribbean Neon Goby: Found in Belize and Honduras, this species has a dark elongated body with an iridescent blue stripe with a thin gray stripe above it. This runs along the side of their body just after their eye. Both of these fish share similar habitats of coral heads and outside of large sponges.

What people most likely saw- Sharknose Goby outside of Belize, Honduras and Florida, often reproted as a Neon Goby or vice versa. The Sharknose Goby is has a white to yellow "V" on its nose continuing in bright blue down the side of its elongated body.

Cleaner and Sponge gobies have very specific geographic ranges, see the REEF Goby Guide for locations.