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Cottonwick grunt

Haemulon melanurum

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Fun Facts

They can make a grunt or thump sound by rubbing together special sets of teeth. These sounds are made louder by their swim bladder, their gas-filled organ that helps them float or sink as needed

Species Type:

Fishes

Common Name(s):

Cottonwick grunt

Size:

On average cottonwick grunts grow to 10 inches (25 centimeters) in length.

Diet:

These small fish eat sea stars, urchins, shrimp, crabs and sea cucumbers.

Range & Habitat:

Commonly found in reefs, rocky and sandy bottom habitats in the Caribbean Sea, western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.

Details:

Cottonwick grunts have silvery-gray bodies with a black stripe along their back and bright yellow horizontal stripes. Juveniles show four black stripes across their bodies. Like other grunts, they produce grunting or thumping sounds by rubbing their pharyngeal teeth together, and amplifying the noise with their swim bladder.