Haemulon flaviguttatum Gill, 1862
Yellowspotted grunt
photo by Munson, L.

Family:  Haemulidae (Grunts), subfamily: Haemulinae
Max. size:  42 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine
Distribution:  Eastern Pacific: Mexico to Ecuador.
Diagnosis:  Body oblong, compressed, and fairly deep (depth contained 3.0 to 3.1 times in standard length); mouth large, terminal, and oblique, its anterior edge located at the same level as the center of the eye; first gill arch with 26 to 36 gill rakers; dorsal fin notched, with 10 to 12 spines and 15 to 18 soft rays (X-XII, 15-18); second anal spine longer and stronger than third; scale series above lateral line oblique; body light brown; each scale bearing a pearly blue spot, the spots appearing to form lines following the scale series; fins yellowish (Ref. 55763).
Biology:  Benthic in coastal waters. Forms schools over rocky and sandy bottoms. Feeds at night. Marketed fresh.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 25 May 2007 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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