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Chicken grunt (Parapristipoma trilineatum) — Haemulidae

Chicken grunt

Parapristipoma trilineatum
Family: Haemulidae

The Chicken grunt (Parapristipoma trilineatum) is a saltwater fish of the family Haemulidae that grows up to 40 cm.

Length
40 cm
Water
Saltwater
Behaviour
Schooling
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Mixed bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea (South), Viet Nam
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The chicken grunt is a grunt (Haemulidae) from coastal waters of the northwest Pacific, off East Asia. The species grows to about 40 cm and has an elongate, brown-yellow body with three dark longitudinal bands in young fish that fade in adults. As a schooling bottom-oriented predator it lives around rocky reefs and hunts small crustaceans, worms and small fish; it makes grunting sounds with its throat teeth. It is a valued food fish. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Chicken grunt?

The Chicken grunt has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly yellow-gold.

Where does the Chicken grunt live?

The Chicken grunt lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around mixed bottom. Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea (South), Viet Nam

How big does the Chicken grunt get?

The Chicken grunt grows to a maximum of about 40 cm.

Is the Chicken grunt dangerous to humans?

No, the Chicken grunt is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Chicken grunt edible?

Yes, the Chicken grunt is commonly eaten.

More photos

Chicken grunt (Parapristipoma trilineatum) — Haemulidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Aiden Chong, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Chicken grunt (Parapristipoma trilineatum) — Haemulidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Austin 0201, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Chicken grunt (Parapristipoma trilineatum) — Haemulidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) R Lai, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Chicken grunt (Parapristipoma trilineatum) — Haemulidae — 5
Wikimedia Commons — ふうけ (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Chicken grunt sourced
Scientific name
Parapristipoma trilineatum
Family
Haemulidae
Other names
Chicken grunt; Grunt; Threeline grunt verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
40.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Mixed bottom sourced
Natural range
Asia: China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea (South), Viet Nam sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Bottom fishing with natural bait (worm, shrimp or fish) on or just above the seabed. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

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