Species: Genyatremus cavifrons, Torroto Grunt

Genyatremus cavifrons (Cuvier, 1830)

Torroto Grunt

Body a deep oval, compressed; head small, blunt, depression before eye; rear margin of bone under eye concealed by scales; mouth large, low, ~horizontal; inside mouth not red; teeth in bands on jaws, outer ones larger, conical; 2 pores but no central groove on underside of chin; preopercle strongly serrated at angle; dorsal continuous, but not deeply notched, XIII, 12, 5th spine longest, forming a peak in center of fin; tail forked; anal fin III, 2nd spine strongest, 11 soft rays; scales small, in oblique rows above, horizontal rows below; scales over entire body and head except front of snout, lips and chin; soft dorsal and anal without scales; pored lateral line scales 51-53.

Body silvery, with a yellow cast; edge of preopercle yellow; dorsal fin with silver spines, black membranes, soft dorsal yellow; pectorals yellow; pelvics yellow with a black rear edge; anal fin yellowish; base of tail fin yellowish, rear edge black; sometimes a broad blackish area along side of body to tail base.

Reaches 37 cm.

Lives on soft bottoms, typically in brackish estuaries.

Depth range: 1-40 m, usually in < 20 m.

Venezuela to Brazil.