Species: Orthopristis scapularis, Corocoro Grunt

Orthopristis scapularis Fowler, 1915

Corocoro Grunt

Body elongate, elliptical, (body depth 36-40% of SL), strongly compressed; rear margin of bone under eye concealed by scales; mouth short, ends before eye, with thin lips, not red inside; jaws with a narrow band of slender teeth; chin with 2 front pores plus a longitudinal groove; preopercle finely serrated, lower serrations do not point forwards; 15 short, slender lower gill rakers; dorsal fin without notch, XII, 14-16; anal fin with long base, III, 10-11 2nd spine not much thicker and longer than 3rd; scales over entire body and head except front of snout, lips and chin; body scales without small accessory scales; soft dorsal and anal scaleless; lateral line with 51-57 pored scales; 9-12 rows above and 13-16 below lateral line.

Body blue grey above, silver below; scales above lateral line with brown spots; brown spots on head; rows of brown spots on dorsal fin. Body may also have two dark stripes, one through eye to base of tail fin, the other along the nape and upper back.

Size: 40 cm, 850 g.

Habitat: demersal on soft bottoms and low relief hard bottoms, also in brackish water.

Depth: 1-92 m.

Colombia to northeast Brazil.