Fun Bluestriped Grunt Facts For Kids
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In this article, we will read and learn about the bluestriped grunt and the interesting reason behind its name. The bluestriped grunt (Haemulon sciurus) is a fish belonging to the Haemulidae family.
This fish is named after the vibrant blue stripes running through its yellow head and body. It is also known by the names of yellow grunt, boar grunt, and humpback grunt.
Grunt fish are known to make a 'grunting' sound like a pig and this sound is a result of their well-developed pharyngeal teeth, which are located in their throat. This blue-striped fish is found in the western Atlantic.
Its range extends from Florida to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. The dorsal fin of this fish contains yellow spines and dark-colored soft rays.
The anal fin of the yellow grunt fish is sooty yellow, while the pectoral fins and pelvic fins are white in color. This fish stays in shallow waters near coral, rocky reefs, and drop-offs.
Keep reading to know more about this fish from the Western Atlantic. If reading about the marine world interests you, be sure to check out these spiny dogfish and catfish facts too.
Bluestriped Grunt Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a bluestriped grunt?
The blue-striped grunt is a type of fish.
What class of animal does a bluestriped grunt belong to?
The blue-striped grunt belongs to the class Actinopterygii and the family Haemiludae.
How many bluestriped grunts are there in the world?
Currently, there are no population estimates for blue-striped grunts in the world.
Where does a bluestriped grunt live?
The blue-striped grunt can be found in the Western Atlantic. They are found in areas ranging from Florida to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
What is a bluestriped grunt's habitat?
Blue-striped grunts usually inhabit coral and rocky reefs and drop-offs in shallow waters. Juveniles can be found in turtle grass or Thalassia seagrass beds. Blue-striped grunts come together in small schools, especially near drop-offs, coral reefs, and rocky reefs.
Who does bluestriped grunt live with?
Blue-striped grunts form small schools in coral and rocky reefs. Being in these small schools helps with their reproductive prospects as well as offering protection against predators like sharks.
How long does a bluestriped grunt live?
The blue-striped grunt can live for about 10- 12 years in the wild. In comparison, the tilefish lives for about 50 years!
How do they reproduce?
There hasn't been much research conducted on the spawning behavior of the blue-striped grunt, so not a lot of information is available. The spawning season in the Caribbean Sea is between January and April.
Juveniles settle into seagrass beds when they are about 0.35-0.67 in (0.9-1.7 cm) in length. Juveniles have a fast growth rate and can grow about 0.02 in (0.05 cm) every single day.
What is their conservation status?
Blue-striped grunts have been listed as Least Concern in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of threatened species. The blue-striped grunt population seems to be stable.
Bluestriped Grunt Fun Facts
What does bluestriped grunt look like?
This fish from the Western Atlantic has a yellow-colored head and body with blue stripes running all throughout its body. The area under the eyes has a distinct arched stripe.
Their mouth has a deep red coloration. Their dorsal fin is continuous and has 12 yellow spines and 16 soft rays that are dark in color. The anal fin is sooty yellow and composed of nine soft rays and three spines.
How cute are they?
The blue-striped grunt has a yellow body with vibrant blue stripes running all across its body. Their color makes them stand out, and they are quite beautiful to look at.
How do they communicate?
The blue-striped grunt (Haemulon sciurus), as the name suggests, is known for its blue stripes and the 'grunt' sound that it makes. These fish sound like they are 'grunting' as they swim, which is the result of the stridulation of their well-developed pharyngeal teeth located in their throats.
This sound is further amplified by the fish's swim bladder, which acts as a resonator.
How big is a bluestriped grunt?
The Haemulon sciurus (blue-striped grunt) has an average length of 9.8 in (24.8 cm). However, this fish can attain a length of about 18 in (45.7 cm). They are almost 10 times smaller than yellowfin tuna and five times smaller than parrot fish.
How fast can a bluestriped grunt move?
There has not been enough research conducted to calculate the speed of the bluestriped grunt.
How much does a bluestriped grunt weigh?
The blue-striped grunt (also known as the boar grunt) weighs 0.9 lb (0.4 kg).
What are the male and female names of the species?
There are no unique names to identify a male or female boar grunt.
What would you call a baby bluestriped grunt?
A baby blue-striped grunt can be referred to as 'fry.'
What do they eat?
The yellow grunt (also known as the boar grunt) is a nocturnal predator. They rest during the day in coral and rocky reefs and forage in these coral and rocky reefs and drop-offs during the night. The blue-striped grunt preys on various small fish, crustaceans, and bivalves. Juveniles feed on small fish in Thalassia seagrass beds.
Are they poisonous?
The humpback grunt is not poisonous. However, in some instances, human consumption of the blue-striped grunt or the humpback grunt fish has resulted in ciguatera poisoning.
Would they make a good pet?
The blue-striped or the yellow grunt is not a very common pet. They, however, can be kept in a large aquarium with a minimum tank size of 607 gal (2297.7 L). If this kind of space can be provided and a good diet of crustaceans and other small fish is offered, they can be easily kept as pets.
Did you know...
The blue-striped grunt closely resembles the French grunt in appearance. However, the caudal fin and tail of the former are black in color, whereas the latter has a yellow tail.
The scales of the blue-striped grunt above the lateral line on its body are enlarged in comparison to the scales below the lateral line, which appear to be in a diagonal pattern.
Blue-striped grunts can often be seen pushing each other with their open mouths. This behavior can be linked to them being territorial or it may even be a courtship ritual.
Are they reef safe?
The blue-striped grunt (Haemulon sciurus) can be considered reef safe but with caution. This fish might be a danger to small invertebrates or small crustaceans like shrimps and krills. So, it is best not to keep it in the same tank as invertebrates and crustaceans.
Can we eat them?
The blue-striped grunt is sold fresh and can be consumed by human beings. Many people think they are a good fish to eat. However, there have been certain known cases of ciguatera poisoning after consumption of this fish.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other fish from our Swai fish facts and skate fish facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable bluestriped grunt coloring pages.
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Bachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management
Moumita DuttaBachelor of Arts specializing in Journalism and Mass Communication, Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management
A content writer and editor with a passion for sports, Moumita has honed her skills in producing compelling match reports and stories about sporting heroes. She holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the Indian Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Calcutta University, alongside a postgraduate diploma in Sports Management.
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