Haemulidae morphological data

Using 127 specimens from 50 haemulid species we measured 24 functional morphological traits related to feeding (11 traits) and locomotion (13 traits). These feeding traits included the mass of the jaw-closing adductor mandibulae muscle, (AM mass) the mechanical advantage of jaw closing (close ratio) and opening (open ratio), the length of the ascending process of the premaxilla bone which indicates the capacity for upper jaw protrusion, the length of longest gill raker on the ceratohyal of the first gill arch, and the diameter of the eye. In addition we calculated suction index, a morphologically-based estimate of the capacity to generate suction pressure during prey capture, by combining measures of buccal cavity length, buccal cavity with, head width, head height, and head length. The thirteen traits related to the body shape and locomotion included body fineness ratio, which for fish bodies is thought to be negatively correlated with drag exerted on the body. The size and shape of propulsive surfaces was measured by caudal fin aspect ratio and length of the base of the spiny and soft dorsal and anal fins, the average spine length of the spiny dorsal fin, and the perimeter and area of the caudal peduncle. In addition we measured maximum body width, maximum body depth, the body position of maximum body depth expressed as a fraction of fish standard length, and the horizontal and vertical position of the anterior-dorsal pectoral fin base expressed as fractions of standard length and maximum body depth.