Snappers and Grunts Codexery

Genyatremus luteus

A silvery-yellow grunt of South American Atlantic estuaries.

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Genyatremus luteus, commonly known as the Torroto grunt, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae of the family Haemulidae. It is native to the Atlantic coast of South America, ranging from Colombia to Brazil, and also occurs north into the southern part of the Lesser Antilles. This species is notable for its distinctive coloration and its preference for brackish estuarine habitats.

Scientific classification

  1. KingdomAnimalia
  2. PhylumChordata
  3. ClassActinopterygii
  4. DivisionTeleostei
  5. OrderAcanthuriformes
  6. FamilyHaemulidae
  7. GenusGenyatremus
  8. SpeciesGenyatremus luteus

Named by (Bloch, 1790)

Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Genyatremus luteus (CC BY-SA 4.0) · differs from this box at order: WoRMS AphiaID 280829 (CC BY 4.0)

Conservation status

Data Deficient (DD)

Data Deficient: there is not enough information to place this species on the risk scale.

Population trend
Not held in our sources — see the assessment

Source: IUCN Red List assessment · GBIF copy of the Red List category

How big is it?

Size comparison: Genyatremus luteus and a personA 0.37 m long genyatremus luteus drawn to scale next to a 1.8 m tall person. Schematic shapes, not a likeness.0.37 m1.8 m

Largest length in the source, 0.37 m, next to a 1.8 m person.

Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: Wikipedia: Genyatremus luteus

Where the genyatremus luteus has been recorded

Where the genyatremus luteus has been recorded35 mapped locations from 480 GBIF occurrence records; marked places: Atlantic Ocean, Lesser AntillesAtlantic OceanLesser Antilles

Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (480 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 47 inland records left out (institution coordinates). 1 isolated far-off record not drawn.

Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Background

Genyatremus luteus was first formally described in 1790 as Lutjanus luteus by the German naturalist and physician Marcus Elieser Bloch, with the type locality given as the Antilles, thought to be Martinique. The specific name luteus means “yellow”, a reference to the yellow or yellowish fins of this species. Some authorities have argued that Genyatremus luteus is not a valid name and that this taxon is synonymous with Cuvier's Diagramma cavifrons, while others contend that Cuvier's D. cavifrons is not a haemulid but belongs to another family, and that Bloch's L. luteus is valid and should be used as the type species of the genus Genyatremus.

The body of Genyatremus luteus is oval-shaped and compressed, with a depth just under half its standard length. The head is small with a moderately large mouth, and there are two pores on the chin but no central groove. The preoperculum has strong serrations at its corner.

The dorsal fin is high, containing 13 spines (the fifth being longer than the others) and 12 soft rays; the anal fin has 3 spines and 11 soft rays. The caudal fin is emarginate. The body is silvery with a yellowish tint, the edge of the preoperculum is yellow, the dorsal fin spines are silvery with a black margin, the anal fin is yellowish, the pectoral fins have a yellowish cast, and the pelvic fins and base of the tail have a black rear margin.

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Test yourself

Three questions drawn from this entry’s sources. Pick an answer to check it.

1. Who first scientifically described the Genyatremus luteus?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is Marcus Elieser Bloch.

From the source: “Genyatremus luteus was first formally described in 1790 as Lutjanus luteus by the German naturalist and physician Marcus Elieser Bloch with the type locality given as the Antilles, thought to be Martinique.”

2. In what year was Genyatremus luteus first scientifically described?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is 1790.

From the source: “Genyatremus luteus was first formally described in 1790 as Lutjanus luteus by the German naturalist and physician Marcus Elieser Bloch with the type locality given as the Antilles, thought to be Martinique.”

3. To which biological family does the Genyatremus luteus belong?

Correct.

Not quite. The answer is Haemulidae.

From the source: “Genyatremus luteus, the Torroto grunt, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae of the family Haemulidae.”

Answers checked against the source article

Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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