Sailor's grunt (Haemulon parra)

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 parra · Authority: (Desmarest, 1823) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 275731.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Diabasis parra Desmarest, 1823; Haemulon parrai (Desmarest, 1823).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=275731 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 41.20000076293945 cm · Common length: 30 cm · Depth range: 3–30 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 37.4 of 100 · Fishery importance: minor commercial · Aquarium trade: public aquariums.

FishBase notes: Inhabits shallow coastal reefs, the young on seagrass beds, adults in schools in relatively open areas (Ref. 9710). Rare at oceanic islands (Ref. 9710). Feeds at night on mollusks and small fishes (Ref. 9710). Marketed fresh (Ref. 3798).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 1139) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Haemulon-parra.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

26,039 georeferenced occurrence records for Haemulon parra are published through GBIF from 35 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 103 distinct locations from a sample of 3,000 records, omitting 32 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 (21,101); Puerto Rico (2,461); Brazil (1,755); Mexico (225); Bahamas (79).

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

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2382511) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2382511&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=275731 (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 parra (Desmarest, 1823) 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 194421) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/194421/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2382511) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2382511/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Haemulon parra was described in 1823 by Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest. Its genus name comes from the Greek haimaleos, meaning "bloody." The specific epithet is a Latin word for "sparrow."

This species has a dull head with a medium-to-small-sized mouth. It does not have fleshy lips, and a part of the eye near the back is covered by scales. Its chin has two small openings and one furrow in the middle. The eye's edges are commonly either yellow or bronze. In color, adults are a mixture of silver and grey covered with dotted black stripes running laterally. Juveniles have four black stripes over white and a spot on their tail fin. The maximum length recorded is 41.2 cm.

Haemulon parra is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean, from Florida to Brazil, also entering the Gulf of Mexico.

The sailor's grunt prefers reefs and hard bottoms, and resides in depths from 0-80 m. Juveniles are more attracted to seagrass beds. Adults are known to school and can be seen in more open areas.

It feeds at night, eating mollusks and fish.

It is sometimes fished commercially, although the market is minor. H. parra can be also found in aquariums.

Haemulon parra was evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in March 2011, which placed it as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Source: Wikipedia: Haemulon parra — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haemulon_parra (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.