Courtesy of John E. Randall

	QuickTime (73K) Click this button to use any media player This sound clip contains a variety of grunts including those associated with feeding and stimulation. From CD Supplement to: Sounds of the Western North Atlantic Fishes by Fish & Mowbray, 1970. CD ©University of Rhode Island, 2001

Life History and Habitat
The bluestriped grunt ranges from Florida to Brazil including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Adults are found inhabiting coral and rocky reefs where they are active nocturnal predators of crustaceans, bivalves, and occasionally small fishes. Juveniles are more commonly found in Thalassia beds which provide adequate cover and foraging opportunities for smaller fish. Age at maturity and life span of this species are approximately 2 -3 and 10 years, respectively. Peak spawning is reported from January through April.

Sound Production
As the name implies, grunts emit a "grunting" sound produced by stridulation of the pharyngeal teeth which may also be amplified by the swimbladder. These sounds are produced during feeding and also as a fright response when the fish is captured, handled or otherwise distressed.

References
• Caribbean Fisheries Management Council: US Virgin Islands Marine Resources and Fisheries Strategic and Comprehensive Conservation Plan
• FishBase.org: Bluestriped Grunt Species Summary
• Fish, M.P. and Mowbray, H.M. 1970. Sounds of Western North Atlantic Fishes. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins Press. p. 83.