Species: Haemulon bonariense, Black Grunt

Haemulon bonariense Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1830

Black Grunt

Body oblong, compressed; body depth 33-40% of SL; head deep, blunt, its upper profile convex on nape then straight to mouth; rear margin of bone under eye concealed by scales; mouth small to moderate, lips not fleshy; underside of chin with 2 large pores and a central groove; preoperculum finely serrated, without spines; gill rakers 18-24; dorsal fin continuous, with small to moderate notch in middle, XII, 15-16; anal rays III, 8-9, 2nd and 3rd spines similar; tail forked; soft dorsal and anal densely scaled nearly to the edge of the fin; scales rough; scales over entire body and head except front of snout, lips and chin; pectoral fin scaled on base only; lateral-line scales 45-48; scale rows below lateral line oblique to body axis.

Adult: head & body silvery; body with narrow undulating oblique dark lines along scale rows; pectorals transparent, other fins dusky to dark brown; a black blotch under lower corner of preopercle. Juvenile: two long stripes plus a short one at top of eye; tail fin base with 1 black spot with a broad front edge.

Size: attains 40 cm.

Habitat: on soft bottoms and low-relief hard bottoms.

Depth: 1-50 m.

Florida to the southern Caribbean.

Note: A study by Rodrigo Moura indicates that the correct name for this species is H cana (Cuvier, 1830), and that H bonariense should be used for the Atlantic population what is currently referred to as H steindachneri (here referred to as H cf steindachneri).