African Striped Grunt
Parapristipoma octolineatum
Black Margate
Anisotremus surinamensis
About
The black margate is a large, deep-bodied grunt of Caribbean rock reefs, often found resting in caves and wrecks by day. It commonly reaches about 45 cm, with the largest recorded at 76 cm and 5.8 kg.
- Length
- 45 cm · max 76 cm
- Weight
- max 5.8 kg
- Depth
- 0–15 m
How to tell it apart
Confused with other grey grunts and sweetlips on the same reefs. The clear split in shade, dark at the front and paler toward the tail, is the mark to check for.
Appearance
This fish has a deep, high-backed body with a short, blunt head and thick, fleshy lips set low on the face. It is greyish-silver, distinctly darker on the front half of the body than the rear, with black centres to the scales along the back. The fins are dark grey, darkest on the belly and anal fins, with a dark patch at the base of the pectoral fin. Juveniles look different, with two black stripes running along the body and a large black spot at the base of the tail.
Habitat
Black margate live on steep, sloping rocky reefs and larger patch reefs in the western Atlantic and Caribbean, down to about 15 to 20 m. They shelter in caves, ledges, and wrecks by day, usually alone or in small groups.
Did you know?
The black margate feeds at night on long-spined Diadema sea urchins, tackling prey most reef fish avoid because of its sharp spines.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
