Common names: grunt (English), ronco (Espanol), vieja (Espanol)
Haemulopsis nitidus (Steindachner, 1869)
Shining grunt, Silver grunt, Short-spine grunt
Moderately elongate oval body; dorsal and ventral profiles of head about equal; mouth small, slightly oblique, opens at front; chin with 2 pairs of pores, rear pair in a deep hole; preopercle finely serrated; lower gill rakers 14-16; dorsal fin XII, 14-15, continuous, with notch between spiny and soft parts; anal rays III, 7-9, 2nd spine very short, equal to or < eye diameter; pectoral fins reach past pelvics but not to anus, 3rd spine about same length as second spine, reaching to base of penultimate soft ray; body scales without small accessory scales; soft dorsal and anal with small scales between rays as well as a scaly sheath on base; lateral-line scales 50-53.
Silver; a black blotch at beginning of lateral line; diffuse dark stripes evident on side a long scale rows.
Size: attains 30 cm.
Habitat: coastal seas on sandy or muddy bottoms.
Depth: 0-50 m.
Southern Baja and the Gulf of California to Ecuador. |
