Gerreidae, Haemulidae, & Sparidae

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Family Gerreidae

• Mojarras• Common species:

o Spotfin Mojarra (Eucinostomus argenteus)

Gerreidae, Haemulidae, & Sparidae

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Gerreidae Characteristics

• Highly protrusible jaw, compressed silvery body• Use mouth for feeding on benthic invertebrates

o Passes sand out gill slits and captures prey on gill rakers

• The silver jenny (Eucinostomus gula) and spotfin mojarra (Eucinostomus argenteus) are almost indistinguishable

Gerreidae, Haemulidae, & Sparidae

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Family Haemulidae

• Grunts• Common species:

o Tomtate (Haemulon aurolineatum)

o White Grunt (Haemulon plumeri)

o Pigfish (Orthopristis chrysoptera)

Gerreidae, Haemulidae, & Sparidae

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Haemulidae Characteristics

• Beautiful schooling fish, usually found associated with reefs

• Small mouth and teeth, large molariform teeth on pharynx

French Grunts

Gerreidae, Haemulidae, & Sparidae

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Diurnal Migrations

• Form diurnal aggregations on reefs and migrate to sand and grass beds to feed

• Interestingly, migrations always follow the same routeo Routes are not genetically inherited, but

learned socially as “cultural traditions”

Gerreidae, Haemulidae, & Sparidae

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We have to stop meeting like this!!

White Grunts

Gerreidae, Haemulidae, & Sparidae

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White Grunt (Haemulon plumieri)

• Caught frequently in the S.E. U.S., one of the largest grunts (25” and 8lbs.)

Gerreidae, Haemulidae, & Sparidae

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Tomtate (Haemulon aurolineatum)

• The smallest of the grunts; it is not commercially viable

Gerreidae, Haemulidae, & Sparidae

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Family Sparidae

• Porgies• Common species:

o Red Porgy (Pagrus pagrus)

o Whitebone Porgy (Calamus leucosteus)

o Sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus)

o Pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides)

Gerreidae, Haemulidae, & Sparidae

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Sparidae Characteristics

• Continuous dorsal fin; front jaw has incisor-like or canine teeth

• Grunt-like in appearance, but feeding habits are more diversified

• Have well-developed molariform teeth on pharyngeal jaws

Gerreidae, Haemulidae, & Sparidae

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Red Porgy

• Was once one of NC’s most valued reef fish but severely overfished in 1980’s

Gerreidae, Haemulidae, & Sparidae

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Pinfish

• Ubiquitous, omnivores (mostly plants)

• Larvae are found in estuaries in late winter and early spring