Despite their abundance and ecological importance, octocorals have received relatively little taxonomic attention compared to scleractinian (stony) corals. Identification of octocoral species is often difficult and ambiguous, and requires thorough microscopic examination of skeletal components (sclerites). Here, we provide a key for field identification—no microscope required—of 51 zooxanthellate (harboring photosynthetic dinoflagellate symbionts) octocoral species (3 soft and 48 gorgonian octocorals) from the tropical western Atlantic. The key is based on characters from colony branching pattern, surface morphology and texture, extended polyp size, and colony color. Although species confirmation by microscopic examina- tion is still recommended, it is hoped that tools, such as this key, and approaches for fast octocoral identi- fication will ease the difficulty of carrying out surveys and monitoring programs.