African Striped Grunt
Parapristipoma octolineatum
White Grunt
Haemulon plumierii
About
The white grunt is a common reef fish of the western Atlantic, named for the grunting sound it makes when caught or threatened. It grows to about 53 cm and 4.4 kg, though most are closer to 30 cm.
Also known as: boar grunt, redmouth grunt
- Length
- 30 cm · max 53 cm
- Weight
- max 4.4 kg
- Depth
- up to 40 m
How to tell it apart
This grunt is easily confused with the closely related bluestriped and French grunts, which it often schools alongside. Look for narrow blue stripes crossing the side of its head, rather than running only along the body.
Appearance
The body is silvery cream, marked with narrow yellow and blue stripes running along its length, and narrow blue stripes also cross the side of the head. It has a long head with a distinct snout, curved pectoral fins, and a forked tail. It can shift to a paler or darker shade to match its surroundings.
Habitat
White grunts live around reefs, mangroves, docks, and other structure from Chesapeake Bay through the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico to Brazil, at depths of 3 to 40 m. By day they gather in dense groups on patch reefs, near coral formations, or over sandy bottoms.
Did you know?
Two white grunts will sometimes settle a territorial dispute by pressing their open mouths together in a 'kissing' contest.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
