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bony fishes
Class Osteichthyes
This class is comprised of the bony fish (osteo = “bone”), and has the most species in it of all the vertebrate classes. Bony fishes have rays of gills on both sides of their head, which are covered by an operculum (“little door”) for protection. This class of fish also has an air sac, or swim bladder, that allows them to control their buoyancy, meaning they can float in one spot without sinking.
Bony fishes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but most follow a standard body plan regarding fin type and placement. Some fish, like the flounder, may look completely different from a typical fish, but will still have the same fin types. While our diagram below shows you a standard fish body plan, what we would like to highlight particularly is the function of each of the fins.
Dorsal fin: aids in balance, keeping the fish upright
Caudal fin: used for propulsion, to move the fish
Pectoral fin: used for steering and maneuvering around objects
Pelvic fin: helps fish go up and down, helps fish turn quickly
Anal fin: works with the dorsal fin to aid in balance and stability
Silver perch
Bairdiella chrysoura
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: silver body with yellow fins, anal fin has prominent spine; dorsal fin has a deep notch
Range: NY to FL, the Gulf of Mexico
Size: up to 9in (23cm) in length
Habitat: shallow estuarine waters, primarily tidal creeks
Fun Fact: will often make loud drumming sounds with their swim bladder when caught
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Southern flounder
Paralichthys lethostigma
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: flat body with both eyes on left side; dorsal color varies with habitat; spots and blotches
Range: VA to FL and the Gulf of Mexico
Size: averages 15in (38cm) in length
Habitat: estuaries, beach shallows, muddy bottom of tidal creeks
Fun Fact: most abundant flounder species in the Southeast; most return to the same estuaries after spawning offshore
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Southern kingfish
Menticirrhus americanus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: long, silver body with 7-8 bars on sides; fins yellow; small mouth with a single short barbel on chin
Range: Cape Cod to northern Argentina
Size: averages 6-10in (15-25cm) in length
Habitat: estuaries, along beaches and near mouths of rivers
Fun Fact: most abundant of three kingfish species in SC; not frequently seen in tidal creeks
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Spot
Leiostomus xanthurus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: silver-blue dorsal and silver-yellow ventral; 12-15 bars along sides; spot behind operculum, above pectoral fin
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico
Size: up to 10in (25cm) in length
Habitat: shallow muddy bottoms of estuaries, tidal creeks, often around oyster reefs
Fun Fact: larvae develop offshore then move into the estuaries
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Spotted seatrout
Cynoscion nebulosus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: dark gray dorsally with black spots along the body; two large teeth on the tip of the upper jaw
Range: NY to the Gulf of Mexico
Size: up to 30in (76cm) in length
Habitat: inshore live bottom habitats in estuaries and tidal creeks
Fun Fact: delicate fish, care should be taken when returning unwanted fish to the water
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Striped burrfish
Chilomycterus schoepfi
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: round yellowish body with dark, wavy stripes; head and body covered with short spines; dark spots at base of the dorsal fin and behind pectoral fins
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S., and the Gulf of Mexico to Brazil
Size: up to 10in (25cm) in length
Habitat: seagrass beds, shallow reefs, tidal creeks
Fun Fact: puffs up its body into a spiny ball to avoid predators
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Striped killifish
Fundulus majalis
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: silver sheen on sides; females with long stripes and a couple of bars near the tail; males have 15-20 bars
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S.
Size: up to 6-7in (17cm) in length
Habitat: tidal creeks and beach shallows
Fun Fact: not as common as mummichog but also play a large role in estuary food webs, prey for most birds and fish in marsh
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Striped mullet
Mugil cephalus
Trophic Level: Herbivore
Characteristics: slightly darker above, silver on sides, dark spot at base and stripes on side
Range: worldwide
Size: up to 3ft (1m) in length, usually less than 20in (50cm) in the Southeast
Habitat: estuaries, tidal creeks
Fun Fact: often jump out of the water, occasionally lands in boats
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Summer flounder
Paralichthys dentatus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: flat body with both eyes on left side; dorsal color varies with habitat; five conspicuous spots
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S.
Size: averages 15in (38cm) in length
Habitat: estuaries and tidal creeks over sand or mud
Fun Fact: flounder start off as typical fish larvae, with an eye on either side of the body, but transform into a flat fish
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
White mullet
Mugil curema
Trophic Level: Omnivore
Characteristics: long silver body with dark dorsal coloring
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S., Bermuda, Gulf of Mexico to Brazil, and from the Gulf of California to Chile
Size: up to 14in (36cm) in length
Habitat: estuaries, tidal creeks
Fun Fact: mullet are omnivorous but primarily get their nutrition from plankton, algae, and detritus
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Red drum
Sciaenops ocellatus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: bronze or red colored with one or more dark spots near tail fin
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico
Size: up to 4-5ft (1.5m) in length
Habitat: nearshore, estuaries, tidal creeks
Fun Fact: spot on the caudal fin is used to distract predators; most caught estuarine drum are sexually immature
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Sheepshead
Archosargus probatocephalus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: body compressed laterally; gray with dark bars alongside the body
Range: Nova Scotia to Brazil
Size: up to 30in (76cm) in length
Habitat: estuaries, tidal creeks, near hard structure such as docks
Fun Fact: hard mouth has several rows of stubby teeth which help the fish scrape prey off of structures and crush the shells
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Atlantic croaker
Micropogonias undulatus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: silver with faint dark bars on sides; faint black spot above pectoral fin
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico
Size: up to 20in (51cm) in length
Habitat: estuaries, tidal creeks to several miles offshore
Fun Fact: make a loud croaking sound by vibrating the swim bladder
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Atlantic menhaden
Brevoortia tyrannus
Trophic Level: Omnivore
Characteristics: blue color with silver sides and forked tail; black spot behind operculum with several small spots near it
Range: Nova Scotia to FL
Size: up to 15in (38cm) in length
Habitat: offshore along the continental shelf and in estuaries
Fun Fact: main source of nutrition for dolphins and large fish because of their high oil content; major component in fish meal
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Atlantic silverside
Menidia menidia
Trophic Level: Omnivore
Characteristics: looks similar to anchovy except smaller mouth; conspicuous silver stripe down side of body; pointed snout
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S.
Size: up to 5in (13cm) in length
Habitat: sandy shorelines, estuaries and tidal creeks
Fun Fact: sensitive to environmental changes, such as depleted oxygen; absence can be used as an indicator of poor water quality
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Atlantic spadefish
Chaetodipterus faber
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: silver-gray to yellowish; disc shaped body; 4-6 vertical black bars on sides; small mouth
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S., Gulf of Mexico, Southeast Brazil
Size: 12-18in (30-46cm) in length
Habitat: estuaries, tidal creeks, hard bottoms like oyster reefs
Fun Fact: juveniles leave estuaries during fall and join adults in shallow offshore waters
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Bay anchovy
Anchoa mitchilli
Trophic Level: Omnivore
Characteristics: small fish with faint silver stripe down sides; out of the water, will usually be lacking scales; dorsal fin originates over the origin of the anal fin
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico
Size: up to 4in (10cm) in length
Habitat: coastal ocean to the upper reaches of tidal creeks
Fun Fact: main source of nutrition for the endangered least tern
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Bay whiff
Citharichthys spilopterus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: flat body with both eyes on left side; spots are small, if present, and in no particular pattern
Range: NJ to the Gulf of Mexico, and from the Antilles to Brazil
Size: up to 6in (15cm) in length
Habitat: estuaries, sandy and muddy habitats
Fun Fact: mistaken for a juvenile flounder; can be identified by its straighter lateral line
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Black drum
Pogonias cromis
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: deep-bodied, silver to dark gray with black tinted fins; lower jaw with barbels extending down; large scales
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico
Size: averages 14in (36cm) in length
Habitat: live bottom in estuaries, rare in tidal creeks, beaches; often near hard structures such as jetties and docks
Fun Fact: use their barbels to sense for food along the bottom
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Blackcheek tonguefish
Symphurus plagiusa
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: small flatfish with no obvious tail; posterior ends in a point; large dark spot on operculum
Range: NY to the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and Cuba
Size: up to 7in (18cm) in length
Habitat: estuaries, tidal creeks, primarily over soft mud
Fun Fact: from head to the tail the tonguefish is smooth, but reverse directions and it becomes very rough
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Hogchoker
Trinectes maculatus
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: small flatfish with round body; noticeable stripes; black bars along dorsal side; ventral side with light spots
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S. and the Gulf of Mexico
Size: up to 6in (15cm) in length
Habitat: shallow to deep estuarine waters over sand or mud
Fun Fact: name thought to come from farmers who would feed this to their hogs, which would often choke on them
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Mummichog
Fundulus heteroclitus
Trophic Level: Omnivore
Characteristics: small brown-green fish with pale spots along the body; males are brighter with bars along the side
Range: Gulf of St. Lawrence to Gulf Coast of Texas
Size: up to 6in (15cm) in length
Habitat: resident in tidal creeks, sometimes in freshwater
Fun Fact: “mummichog” comes from an Indian word meaning “going in crowds,” referring to its common schooling behavior
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Oyster toadfish
Opsanus tau
Trophic Level: Carnivore
Characteristics: scaleless; brown with orange to yellow spotting; wide head; large mouth; many barbels; eyes on top of head
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S. to the West Indies
Size: 8-12in (20-30cm) in length
Habitat: estuaries, tidal creeks, bottom-dwelling near oyster reef
Fun Fact: should be handled carefully, they have strong jaws and stiff spines in fins
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
Pinfish
Lagodon rhomboides
Trophic Level: Omnivore
Characteristics: similar to spot; sharp dorsal and anal spines along fins; spot behind operculum; six bars run along the sides
Range: Atlantic coast of the U.S., Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico, northern Cuba, and the Yucatan
Size: averages 7in (18cm) in length
Habitat: nearshore reefs, estuaries, tidal creeks
Fun Fact: consume both vegetation and animals
Where It's Found: Tidal creek
