black grunt
Haemulon bonariense
Bluish grunt with many oblique dark yellow stripes on the body, common in shallow mud and sand areas. It is caught for fresh and salted sale.
Also called: roncador-de-listras-oblíquas, ronco prieto, ronco rayado, corocoro rayado, black grunt
- maximum
- 40 cm
- depth
- 1–50 m
who is the black grunt
Fish of the family Haemulidae, reaching 40 cm. It occurs in the western Atlantic, from southern Florida and the Antilles to Venezuela; Uruguay also appears among the countries of occurrence. It lives in shallow shelf areas, on mud and mud-sand bottoms, from 1 to 50 m deep, and is less common in clear waters with coral reefs. It has commercial use and is sold fresh and salted. There are reports of ciguatera in this species.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the black grunt; in the meantime, see the similar species.
identification
Silvery blue, with many oblique dark yellow stripes along the body. It has a small amount of black pigment under the upper edge of the preopercle, the cheek bone behind the eye. Spindle-shaped body, normal for grunts. The pattern of oblique stripes on the body is what separates this species from the other grunts in the region.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Western Atlantic, from southern Florida and the Antilles to Venezuela, in the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico and the coast of Central America. Uruguay also appears among the countries of occurrence.
Habitat: Shallow shelf areas, on mud and sand bottoms, 1 to 50 m deep.
rules for the black grunt
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
No dangerous spines or venom. There are reports of ciguatera in this species, so avoid eating specimens of doubtful origin.
in the kitchen
Sold fresh and salted. There are reports of ciguatera, so avoid eating specimens of doubtful origin.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.0166, b = 2.95; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Haemulon bonariense (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Haemulon bonarienseNames by country and language.
