Scientific Name
Haemulon maculicauda

Common Name
Spottail grunt

Biology
Body oblong, compressed, and deep (depth contained 2.2 to 2.7 times in standard length); mouth large and terminal, its posterior end located at the same level as the anterior edge of the pupil; first gill arch with 22 to 39 gill rakers; dorsal fin notched, with 12 to 14 spines and 14 to 17 soft rays (XII-XIV, 14-17); second anal spine slightly longer and stronger than third; scale series above lateral line is parallel to it; body dark brown; each scale bearing a pearly blue spot, the spots appearing to form lines following the scale series; fins yellowish; caudal peduncle with a large spot (Ref. 55763).

Classification

Classified By

Gill, 1862

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Grunts (Haemulidae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Pacific

Distribution

Eastern Pacific: Baja California, Mexico to Colombia.

Range

38°N - 4°N

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated

Trophic Level

4.2 s.e. 0.73 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

30.0 cm

Common Length

25.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (54 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.12)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)