It is a Rudderfish! (firm id pending)

My friend Paul Frontiero is a contributor to our community blog goodmorninggloucester.  This morning Paul posted my query about the striped fish I photographed at the Gloucester Maritime Center last Sunday.  I got an id as Rudderfish from the education director of the Maritime Center Mary Kay Taylor.  Her response follows.

 mary kay said...

Hi Deb-
I believe that it is a Rudderfish (aka Amberjack or Pilotfish) Sierola zonata. I’ve sent some photos out to some local experts for a firm identification. More information about this species can be found through following this link: http://www.gma.org/fogm/Seriola_zonata.htm.


I fell in love with your paintings at CAM years ago and have visited them often. It is great to finally put a face with your beautiful work! If you have any questions about specimens, feel free to contact me at Maritime Gloucester any time.
Mary Kay Taylor,
Education Director, Maritime Gloucester

there is always a wider, deeper story behind every painting that i do.  here's a brief recap of the folk through social media that helped me.  the identification came within an hour of paul's post.


 added the entry to google+ and recieved a note from E.J. (another gmg contributor!) with the determination that the fish does not identify to a 'sheepshead porgy'.  i shared the pic and post as status updates on facebook.  my facebook friend identified it as a "Banded Rudderfish", another gmg responder identified it as a Rudderfish; he also reported seeing some off Cape Ann a while back.  it seems the Rudderfish is out of its waters.

it would be so awesome to have a glass sided room under one of our harbor piers.  i would go there every day and sometimes i would paint.

best,

deb.

ps:  here's the link to Paul's post on gmg  What fish is this?