Florida Hamlet

This species has the usual color and patterns of the brown Barred Hamlet but with several is distinguishing features: a pair of dark rounded spots at the base of the caudal fin found above and below the midline, usually symmetrical, present on all stages, including large adults; a break in the narrow mid-body bar (the fourth bar, after the wide mid-body bar) just above the lateral line, usually associated with well-delineated and unbroken bars to each side; usually a short rearward spur at the top of the last body bar (the fifth bar, forward of the caudal-peduncle bar), usually outlining a light wedge just below the base of the last dorsal-fin rays; some characters not usual on Caribbean Barred Hamlets, but typically associated with this species and H. ecosur include the bar under the eye being orange, even when the body bars are brown, and a dusky pelvic fin (Ref. 91468).

Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 7