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Purplemouth grunt (Pomadasys bayanus) — Haemulidae

Purplemouth grunt

Pomadasys bayanus
Family: Haemulidae

The Purplemouth grunt (Pomadasys bayanus) is a fish of the family Haemulidae that grows up to 36 cm.

Length
36 cm
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Nocturnal
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The Purplemouth grunt is a grunt (Haemulidae) from shallow sandy, rocky and reef water of the eastern Pacific around Central America. The species grows to about 30 cm and has an elongate, silvery body with thick lips; with its pharyngeal teeth it makes grunting sounds amplified by the swim bladder. As a nocturnal bottom-oriented fish it searches over sand for worms, crustaceans and small fish. It is a valued food fish. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Purplemouth grunt?

The Purplemouth grunt is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Purplemouth grunt live?

The Purplemouth grunt is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Purplemouth grunt get?

The Purplemouth grunt grows to a maximum of about 36 cm.

Is the Purplemouth grunt dangerous to humans?

No, the Purplemouth grunt is harmless to humans.

Is the Purplemouth grunt edible?

Yes, the Purplemouth grunt is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Bayano-knorvis sourced
English name
Purplemouth grunt sourced
Scientific name
Pomadasys bayanus
Family
Haemulidae

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
36.0 sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Pomadasys

More from the family Haemulidae

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