a wrasse head purple.gif (41 bytes) purple.gif (41 bytes) purple.gif (41 bytes) purple.gif (41 bytes) blackdot.gif (43 bytes) purple.gif (41 bytes) purple.gif (41 bytes) purple.gif (41 bytes) purple.gif (41 bytes) a wrasse tail

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Fish Family Finder select from the arrangement of gill openings

 

Fish Family Finder is an interactive aid to the identification of the families of fishes known to occur in the marine and freshwater regions of Australia. Because of the great variation in form within some families and the simplified nature of this key, not all species will be easily recognised at the family level. To begin choose the figure which best fits the fish you are trying to identify.

View the Australian Fish Species list 
choose the option that describes your fish

5 gill openings laterally on either side of head or body
5 gill openings laterally on
either side of head or body

6-16 gill openings on either side, sometimes tiny
6-16 gill openings on either side
of head or body, sometimes tiny

5 pairs of gill openings on underside of head
5 pairs of gill openings
on underside of head

one gill opening on either side, sometimes tiny, or only single opening on throat
one gill opening on either side, sometimes
tiny, or only single opening on throat