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| Hypoplectrus chlorurus (Cuvier 1828), the
Yellowtail Hamlet. Western central Atlantic. To five inches overall
length. Feeds primarily on crustaceans and small fishes in the wild. Here
is one photographed off St. Lucia. |
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| Hypoplectrus gemma Goode & Bean 1882, the Blue
Hamlet. Florida endemic in the western central Atlantic. To four inches in
length. Pictured here is a slightly washed out aquarium specimen. Wild
ones much more vibrant blue. |
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| Hypoplectrus guttavarius (Poey 1852), the Golden
Hamlet. Spottily distributed in the tropical west Atlantic. To five inches
in length. A common Hamlet offering in the pet trade. This one
photographed in the Bahamas. |
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| Hypoplectrus indigo (Poey 1851), the Indigo Hamlet.
Central western Atlantic in many places. To five and a half inches.
Another of the more common aquarium Hamlets. This one in the Bahamas |
|
| Hypoplectrus nigricans (Poey 1852), the Black Hamlet.
Tropical western Atlantic. To six inches in length. This photo made in the
Bahamas. |
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| Hypoplectrus puella (Cuvier 1828), the Barred Hamlet.
To six inches overall length... Found in... the tropical west Atlantic.
One in the Cozumel, another off Bonaire. |
 
|
| Hypoplectrus unicolor (Walbaum 1792), the Butter
Hamlet. Western Atlantic; Florida. To five inches in length. Identified in
the field by distinctive caudal saddle and yellow pelvic fins. Right: Bahamas and
St. Thomas pix. Below: series in St. Thomas. |
 
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| Hypoplectrus sp., an unknown (to me) Hamlet. This metallic
blue individual was found in Belize... near Placencia to the south there
are many of this type... More fuel to the fire that perhaps all Hamlets
are one and the same species? A beauty
nonetheless. |
|
| Hypoplectrus sp., the Tan Hamlet. Golden brown
overall color except for a bluish streak on the fore part of the pectoral
fins. St. Thomas. |
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| Hypoplectrus sp., photographed at Grand Turks.
Perhaps H. aberrans... |
.JPG) |
Bibliography/Further Reading:
Michael, Scott W. 1997. The Hamlets. Many colors, but how many species? AFM
7/97.
Miller, Gary. 1987. Serranids of the Caribbean. FAMA 2/87.
Thresher, Ronald. 1976. Hamlets. Marine Aquarist 7:6, 76.
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