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Illustration of Longspine grunt
fishing forecast

longspine grunt

Rhencus macracanthus · full profile

location

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period

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the species

everything about the longspine grunt

how to recognize it

Oblong body, moderately compressed and somewhat deep, with a small, terminal mouth. The back is dark brown or grey and the belly silvery. The back and flanks have four or five faint dark bars, sometimes absent. The dorsal and anal fins have a sheath of scales at the base. It can be confused with Rhonciscus branickii, which also enters estuaries and lives on sandy bottoms near the coast.

Also called: roncador-espinhudo, roncacho gordo, roncador ruco, longspine grunt

don't confuse with:

We don't have tips on season, bait or technique for this species yet.

Where to look: Near shore, in estuaries and brackish water, from 1 to 30 m.

Found in the eastern Pacific, from Mexico to Ecuador, in coastal waters, estuaries and brackish water.

rules for the longspine grunt

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.

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

estimated weight

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how we calculate

Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01318, b = 3.06; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.

more about the longspine grunt

The spiny grunt belongs to the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It reaches 37 cm, and its common size is 20 cm. It lives in the eastern Pacific, from Mexico to Ecuador, near shore, between 1 and 30 m deep. It enters estuaries and lives in brackish water. The body is oblong, moderately compressed and somewhat deep, with a small, terminal mouth. Commercial fishing takes it, and it has little presence in sport fishing.

Family: Haemulidae · predator

in the kitchen

Sold fresh in markets.

similar species

sources and references (2)

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Rhencus macracanthus (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Rhencus macracanthusNames by country and language.