Bluestriped grunt (Haemulon sciurus)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Eupercaria incertae sedis · Family: Haemulidae · Genus: Haemulon.

Accepted name: Haemulon sciurus · Authority: (Shaw, 1803) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 275733.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Anthias formosus Bloch, 1792; Haemulon elegans Cuvier, 1829; Haemulon scirius (Shaw, 1803); Sparus sciurus Shaw, 1803.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=275733 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

Measured values published by FishBase for Haemulon sciurus. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 46 cm · Common length: 25 cm · Depth range: 0–30 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 35.3 of 100 · Fishery importance: minor commercial · Aquarium trade: public aquariums.

FishBase notes: Found in small groups over coral and rocky reefs and drop-offs (Ref. 9710). Juveniles are abundant in Thalassia beds (Ref. 5217). Feeds on crustaceans, bivalves, and occasionally on small fishes. Marketed fresh.

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 1141) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Haemulon-sciurus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

47,726 georeferenced occurrence records for Haemulon sciurus are published through GBIF from 38 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 109 distinct locations from a sample of 3,000 records, omitting 27 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: United States of America (40,992); Puerto Rico (2,664); Mexico (1,007); Virgin Islands (U.S.) (679); Belize (406).

The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2382543) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2382543&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=275733 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Haemulon sciurus (Shaw, 1803) as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 194422) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/194422/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2382543) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2382543/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

The bluestriped grunt has a deep, almond-shaped body with a moderately convex dorsal profile. Its upper jaw extends to underneath the centre of the eye. The scales above the lateral line are enlarged, whereas those underneath it are arranged in a diagonal pattern. It has a continuous dorsal fin with a small to medium-sized notch in its centre. The dorsal fin contains 12 spines and 16-17 soft rays, while the anal fin contains 3 spines and 9 soft rays. The overall colour of this species' head and body is yellow broken by thin, longitudinal blue stripes. Also, a distinctively arched stripe occurs below each eye. The spiny part of the dorsal fin is yellow, the soft-rayed part of the dorsal fin and the caudal fin are dark, the anal fin is sooty yellow, and the pelvic and pectoral fins are whitish. The inside of the mouth is a vivid red. The small juveniles, below lengths of 22 mm have obvious melanophores on their caudal peduncles, and as the fish grows, these grow, too, forming a dark stripe starting just behind the eye and running to the caudal peduncle. Once a length of 50 mm is attained, the fish changes to the adult colouration. This species attains a maximum total length of 46 cm, although 25 cm is more typical.

The bluestriped grunt is found in the western Atlantic Ocean, from South Carolina and Bermuda south along the coast of the United States to the Bahamas. They extend into the Gulf of Mexico from the Florida Keys north as far as Cedar Key and from Tuxpan in Mexico along the northern coasts of the Yucatan Peninsula to northwestern Cuba, and in all of the Caribbean Sea.

The bluestriped grunt is found in shallow water, at depths between 1 and 40 m. It is common in mangroves, reefs, and beds of sea grass. The adults aggregate in small schools over coral and rocky beds, especially in the vicinity of drop-offs. The juveniles are very common among beds of turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) in shallow waters. They forage in sea-grass beds and mangroves searching for smaller fishes, crustaceans, and bivalves. Foraging occurs at night; they rest in the day in rocky areas. The spawning behaviour of the bluestriped grunt is little known, but is known to take place from January to April in the Caribbean Sea. The larvae settle into sea-grass beds at lengths that range from 9 to 17 mm as they grow into juveniles. These fish often display open-mouthed, head-on pushing each other backwards, and they also produce a grunting noise using pharyngeal teeth. They are preyed on by larger fish such as sharks and groupers, and among their known parasites is the monogenean, Encotyllabe spari.

The bluestriped grunt was first formally described in 1803 as Sparus sciurus by English zoologist George Shaw (1751-1813), with the type locality given as the Antilles. The specific name sciurus means "squirrel", squirrelfish being one of the vernacular names of this species at the time, presumably because of its production of grunts.

The bluestriped grunt is caught using hook and line, traps, and seines. The catch is not recorded separately for this species. The flesh is normally sold fresh. It is rare in the aquarium trade but is more common in public aquarium displays due to its size.

Source: Wikipedia: Bluestriped grunt — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluestriped_grunt (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

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