Marine Fishes and Shellfishes of the Gulf
The habitats of the Gulf of Mexico are very diverse. Texas has seagrasses, oyster reefs, salt marshes, barrier islands, coastal wetlands, muddy estuarine bottoms, reefs - natural and artificial- and open water. These areas provide plants and animals with their basic needs and support hundreds of species that call the Gulf of Mexico home.
The following sections will provide information about some of the plants and animals that you might see along the Texas coastline. We certainly can't focus on all of them, but will highlight some of the most well-known or unusual. Also a few general books will be noted that can give more in depth or broader knowledge about marine habitats and their occupants.
Download Coastal Species Brochures from our saltwater fishing publications page.
Watch the video "Saltwater Fishing" to learn more.
Texas Marine Species Identification
Shorelines - Wetland - Brackish Water
Lightning WhelkBlue Crab
Stone Crab
Fiddler Crab
American Alligator
Estuaries and Shallow Waters
Green Sea TurtleHawksbill Sea Turtle
Leatherback Sea Turtle
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle
Southern Flounder
Eastern Brown Pelican
Pinfish
Pigfish
Gafftopsail Catfish
Hardhead Catfish
Atlantic Cutlassfish
Atlantic Croaker
Open Water
Striped MulletAmerican Eel
Black Drum
Red Drum
Spotted Seatrout
Tarpon
Greater Amberjack
Florida Pompano
Common Snook
Crevalle Jack
Tripletail
Cobia
Special Structures - Reefs
Eastern OysterRed Snapper
Vermilion Snapper
Sheepshead
Lane Snapper