Wilderness Portraits by Lloyd Paul Aiello

Blue Striped Grunt over Brain Coral

A Blue Striped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus) passes over a head of Brain Coral (Diploria strigose) 45 feet (14 m) below the Gulf of Mexico off the Riviera Maya. The Blue Striped Grunt was first described by the English naturalist George Shaw in 1803 and is native to the western Atlantic Ocean ranging from Florida, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean down to Brazil. The Blue Striped Grunt can travel in schools of up to 1,000 individuals. The fish commonly grows to a length 10 inches (25 cm,) attaining a maximum recorded length of 18 inches (46 cm) and maximum reported age of 12 years. These grunts can weigh up to 1.6 pounds (750 grams). The name Blue Striped Grunt is derived from its blue stripes and its habit of grunting underwater by grinding its pharyngeal teeth and having the swim bladder act as a resonator which amplifies the sound. Its diet consists mainly of shrimp, annelids, bivalves, and crustaceans.

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Filename: P4100296-2-Edit-vlue-striped-grunt-fish-yellow-brain-coral.tif
Image Size: 4108x3081 / 67.4MB; www.WildernessPortraits.com; Atlantic Cancun Country Gulf of Mexico Mexico Riviera Maya activity animal behavior animals aquatic blue blue striped grunt brain coral brown close-up color coral descriptors fish format horizontal identification master ocean/sea places salt water season silver spring swimming type view water
Contained in galleries: Recent Additions, Underwater, Wildlife

A Blue Striped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus) passes over a head of Brain Coral (Diploria strigose) 45 feet (14 m) below the Gulf of Mexico off the Riviera Maya. The Blue Striped Grunt was first described by the English naturalist George Shaw in 1803 and is native to the western Atlantic Ocean ranging from Florida, Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean down to Brazil. The Blue Striped Grunt can travel in schools of up to 1,000 individuals. The fish commonly grows to a length 10 inches (25 cm,) attaining a maximum recorded length of 18 inches (46 cm) and maximum reported age of 12 years. These grunts can weigh up to 1.6 pounds (750 grams). The name Blue Striped Grunt is derived from its blue stripes and its habit of grunting underwater by grinding its pharyngeal teeth and having the swim bladder act as a resonator which amplifies the sound. Its diet consists mainly of shrimp, annelids, bivalves, and crustaceans.