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  • front yellow + dark bar behind opercle
    D 15-16
    longest D spine & 2nd A spine < 1/2 head
    Anisotremus caesius, Silver-grey grunt, Long-fin grunt
    pectoral > head
  • silver + dark bar mid-body
    edge operculum & base of pectoral black
    Anisotremus davidsonii, Xanthic Sargo, the Sargo
  • silver + dark scale centers
    yellow fins
    Anisotremus interruptus, Burrito grunt
    LL 46-50
  • yellow
    head: 2 dark bars
    body: blue stripes
    Anisotremus taeniatus, Panamic porkfish
  • bars - upper & lower body
    7 scales LL to D origin
    Conodon macrops, Lemon-eye grunt
    snout = eye
    pectoral reaches past pelvic tip
    A: 2nd spine little > 3rd
  • dark bars - upper body only
    5-6 scales LL to D origin
    Conodon serrifer, Serrated grunt, Armed grunt
    snout < eye
    pectoral not reaching level of pelvic tip
    A: 2nd spine >> 3rd
  • 4-5 dark bars
    longest D spine & 2nd A spine > 1/2 head
    Genyatremus dovii, Black-barred grunt, Spotted-head grunt, Spot-head Sargo
    depression before eye
  • 4-5 dark bars
    longest D spine & 2nd A spine < 1/2 head
    Genyatremus pacifici, Pacific grunt, Carruco grunt, Carruco Sargo
    depression before eye
  • dark grey, LL silver
    D & A: front rays longest - > triangular fin
    Genyatremus scapularis, Peruvian grunt
  • elongate
    eye large
    6-7 (3-4 in juvenile) brown stripes
    D XII, notched to base, base soft part < base spiny part
    Haemulon californiensis, California salema
    mouth oblique, lower jaw projects
    60-64 lateral scales
    8 parallel scale rows above LL
    A 11
  • grey
    scale centers pale
    D & A: yellow
    C: dark + yellow border
    Haemulon flaviguttatum, Yellow-spotted grunt, Cortez grunt
    mouth oblique, opens before eye
    26-31 gill rakers
  • dark grey
    spots on scale rows form pale lines
    D & A: grey
    C: inner 2/3 black
    Haemulon maculicauda, Spot-tail grunt
    scale rows above LL parallel to LL
  • elongate
    eye large
    1 stripe mid-side
    D XIII, notched to base, base soft part < base spiny part
    Haemulon peruanus, Peruvian salema
    mouth oblique, lower jaw projects
    70-80 lateral scales
    9-10 oblique scale rows above LL
    A 12
  • silver + dark scale centers
    fins pale or dark
    Haemulon scudderii, Grey grunt, Mojarra grunt, Golden-eye grunt
    15-21 gill rakers
    5-6 scale rows LL to D origin
  • ~ 6 thick dark bars
    Haemulon sexfasciatum, Greybar grunt
    7-9 scale rows LL to D origin
  • silver + oblique brown lines
    fins yellowish
    black blotch on C base
    Haemulon steindachneri, Chere-chere grunt, Latin grunt
    7-9 scale rows LL to D origin
  • upper edge operculum black
    flank - dark lines
    Haemulopsis axillaris, Axil grunt, Yellow-stripe grunt
    black blotch inside pectoral
    pectoral almost reaches anus
    A: 2nd spine < 3rd
  • forehead profile straight
    Haemulopsis elongatus, Sharp-snout grunt, Elongate grunt
    long snout
    upper border operculum dark
    A: 2nd spine not reaching end fin base
  • forehead profile convex
    Haemulopsis leuciscus, White grunt, Raucous grunt
    upper edge operculum dark
    A: 3rd spine reaches past A base
  • dark blotch behind operculum
    side - dark lines
    Haemulopsis nitidus, Silver grunt, Short-spine grunt, Shining grunt
    pectoral not to anus
    A: 2nd spine very short (= eye)
  • back - oblique brown stripes
    D: XII-XIII
    Microlepidotus brevipinnis, Brassy grunt, Short-fin humpback grunt
    LL 60-62
  • back - horizontal orange stripes
    D: XIV
    Microlepidotus inornatus, Wavyline grunt
    LL 78-80
  • elongate
    operculum: orange dots, margin black
    in mouth orange
    C forked
    Orthopristis cantharinus, Galapagos sheephead grunt
    preopercle: fine serrations
    pectoral < head
    A: 12-13, 2nd spine = 3rd
  • body deep
    body - oblique orange lines
    LL 55-60
    9 scale rows - LL to D origin
    Orthopristis chalceus, Humpback grunt
    preopercle finely serrated
    pectoral long, curved
    A: 10-11; 2nd spine > 3rd
  • opercular edge dark
    D: 15
    Orthopristis forbesi, Forbe's grunt
    preoperculum smooth, rear border straight
    A: 11; spines long, 2nd = 3rd
  • opercular margin & inside pectoral base black
    D: 12
    Orthopristis lethopristis, Scalyfin grunt
    preopercle smooth, rear edge concave
    A: 9-11; 2nd spine < 3rd
    D2 & A: scales on membranes
  • elongate
    orange lines: oblique on front back
    LL 52-55
    8 scale rows - LL to D origin
    Orthopristis reddingi, Bronze-striped grunt
    preopercle finely serrated
    pectoral < head
    A: 9-10; 2nd spine > 3rd
  • elongate
    D XII-XIII
    juvenile - wavy stripes
    Pomadasys bayanus, Freshwater grunt, Purple-mouth grunt
    mouth reaches under eye
    pectoral not to pelvic tip
    A: 2nd spine very long, stout
  • slender
    large eye
    opercular membrane: yellow-brown
    D: XIII
    Pomadasys branickii, Sand grunt
    pectoral passes pelvic tip
  • relatively deep
    D XIII
    soft D & A no scales
    Pomadasys empherus, Large-spine grunt, Bigspine grunt
    preopercle: large teeth at angle
    mouth short
    pectoral not to pelvic tip
    A: 2nd spine very long, thick
  • relatively deep
    4-5 faint bars
    D XII
    soft D & A - membranes scaled
    LL 48-50
    4.5-5.5 oblique rows scales LL to D origin
    Pomadasys macracanthus, Longspine grunt
    upper operculum: dark spot
    pectoral to A origin
    A: 2nd spine long, thick
  • silver, yellow fins
    D: XII
    Pomadasys panamensis, Highfin grunt, Panama grunt
    operculum: dark blotch
    pectoral passes pelvic tip
    A: 2nd spine slender
  • deep body
    operculum - dark blotch
    D XII
    soft D & A - membranes not scaled
    LL 47
    6 oblique rows scales LL to D origin
    Pomadasys schyrii, Smalleye grunt
    pectoral long
    A 2nd spine large
  • uniform color
    Xenichthys agassizii, White salema
    pectoral long, reaches A
    LL 56-60
  • 3 thick stripes
    dark blotch C base
    Xenichthys rupestris, Peruvian salema
    eye medium, round
    pectoral short
    LL: 65-70
  • 6-7 stripes
    C base: black spot
    Xenichthys xanti, Bigeye salema, Longfin salema
    eye large, vertical oval
    pectoral short
    LL: 55-62
  • elongate
    eye large
    2 separate Ds, D1 longer base
    7 black stripes
    Xenocys jessiae, Black-striped salema
    mouth oblique, lower jaw projects
    A 10-11
    LL 50-52