Saddle grunt (Pomadasys maculatus)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Pomadasys maculatus · Authority: (Bloch, 1793) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 218568.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Anthias maculatus Bloch, 1793; Lutjanus maculatus (Bloch, 1793); Pomadasys maculata (Bloch, 1793); Pomadasys maculatum (Bloch, 1793); Pomodasys maculates (Bloch, 1793); Pristipoma caripa Cuvier, 1829; Pristipoma maculatum (Bloch, 1793).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=218568 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 59.29999923706055 cm · Common length: 30 cm · Depth range: 20–110 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 52 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.

FishBase notes: Found in coastal waters over sand near reefs. Feeds on crustaceans and fishes (Ref. 5213). Edible but spoils easily.

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 4447) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Pomadasys-maculatus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

4,030 georeferenced occurrence records for Pomadasys maculatus are published through GBIF from 27 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 140 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: Australia (2,496); Mozambique (1,045); Chinese Taipei (68); India (54); Philippines (47).

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

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2382925) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2382925&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=218568 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Pomadasys maculatus (Bloch, 1793) 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 155330) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/155330/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2382925) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2382925/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Pomadasys maculatus has a body which is around two and half times as long as it is deep. It has a blunt head with a convex upper profile and a small mouth which has brush like bands of teeth on its jaws. The dorsal fin has 12 spines and 13-15 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 6–8, normally 7, soft rays.

It has an overall silvery grey colour with a purplish or brownish head, there are a series of broken vertical bars across the nape and back, the bar on the nape being the most obvious. The spined part of the dorsal fin has a large black blotch, the dorsal and caudal fins have black margins while the remaining fins are yellowish. This species attains a maximum total length of 59.3 cm, although 30 cm is more typical, with a maximum published weight of 3.2 kg.

Distribution

Pomadasys maculatus has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution. It is found along the east African coast from the Red Sea south to the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa, across the Indian Ocean, including the Seychelles and the Mascarenes. Its range extends as far east as Queensland and Papua New Guinea and north to southern Japan.

Habitat and biology

Pomadasys maculatus can be found at depths between 20 and 120 m in coastal inshore waters. It is an amphidromous species found in open bays and estuaries. It feeds on crustaceans or fishes. It is an oviparous species which forms distinct pairs for spawning.

Systematics

Pomadfasys maculatus was first formally described in 1793 as Anthias maculatus by the German naturalist Marcus Elieser Bloch (1723–1799) with the type locality given as the East Indies. The specific name maculatus means "spotted", referring to the blotches across the back and nape.

Utilisation

Pomadasys maculatus is commercially fished for throughout its range. It is caught using bottom trawls, handlines, set nets, traps, and spears. It is often quite abundant in areas used to trawl for prawns. The catch is sold fresh, with a quantities being preserved by either salting or smoking.

Source: Wikipedia: Pomadasys maculatus — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomadasys_maculatus (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.