Teleostei (teleosts) >
Eupercaria/misc (Various families in series Eupercaria) >
Haemulidae (Grunts) > Haemulinae
Etymology: Haemulon: Greek, haimaleos = bloody (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Linnaeus.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 10 - 210 m (Ref. 27283). Subtropical; 35°N - 33°S, 98°W - 33°W
Western Atlantic: Bermuda, Florida (USA), western Bahamas, and Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. Also Caribbean, including Antilles (Ref. 26938).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 28.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251); common length : 17.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3798)
Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13 - 14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Scale rows below lateral line oblique; head entirely scaled except for front of snout near upper lip and front of chin; snout very short; the maxilla not reaching a vertical through center of eye; silvery gray with five dusky yellow stripes, the two lowermost the broadest (Ref. 13442).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.
Occurs along exposed outer or deeper reefs. Found on semi-hard substrates (Ref. 5217). Maximum depth down to 210 m was recorded from individuals observed by submersibles (Ref. 27283). Feeds mainly on plankton (Ref. 5217); small crustaceans (Ref. 26938).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p. (Ref. 7251)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: public aquariums
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