Common names: grunt (English), ronco (Espanol), burro (Espanol), roncador (Espanol)
 
Haemulon scudderii Gill, 1862


Mojarra grunt,     Golden-eye grunt,     Grey grunt



Body oblong, compressed; mouth slightly oblique, opens at level below eye, lips not fleshy; underside of chin with 2 large pores, 2 pores in a deep hole, and a central groove; gill rakers 15-21 (usually 17-19); preoperculum finely serrated, without spines; dorsal fin continuous, with small to moderate notch in middle, XI-XII, 14-17; anal rays III, 7-8; tail forked; soft dorsal and anal densely scaled nearly to the edge of the fin; lateral-line scales 46-50; scales above the lateral line in lines oblique to body axis; 5-6 (usually 5) scale rows between lateral line and 1st  dorsal spine.



Silvery to dusky silver-grey; sides covered with small blackish spots, one per scale, forming discontinuous lines; no dark spot at base of caudal fin; fins whitish to dusky blackish; juveniles with dark midlateral stripe converging with black spot at base of caudal fin and second stripe from upper part of eye to dorsal surface of caudal peduncle.

Maximum size, 35 cm.

Habitat: often in large aggregations which hover near rocky reefs during the day.

Depth: 1-30 m.

Southern Baja and the central California to Ecuador, including the Galapagos.