WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Black Sweetlips

Plectorhinchus sordidus

Also known as: Grey Grunt, Marmite, Redlip Rubberlip, Sordid Rubberlip, Sordid Sweetlip, Sordid Thicklip, Sweetlips

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2019
Adult
@Chalto · Cap de Malheureux, Mauritius · December 20141 / 2
01

Overview

Found singly, or in small schools during the day, close to sheltered weedy areas, dispersing at night to forage for food, over coral and rocky reefs.
They feed nocturnally on benthic crustaceans.

In some areas of the world 'Grunts' are better known as 'Sweetlips' distinguished from other species by their very large rubbery lips.
'Grunts'because they "grunt," the grunting sound is produced by their flat teeth plates rubbing together and this is amplified by their air bladders.
Found either singly or in schools hovering or motionless over the reef during the day, becoming nocturnal predators.

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How to identify

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Indian Ocean
  • Country only · 2
LIVES IN

Found singly, or in small schools during the day, close to sheltered weedy areas, dispersing at night to forage for food, over coral and rocky reefs.

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Adult photos 2

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Discussion

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    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

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    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderEupercaria incertae sedis
    5. familyHaemulidae
    6. genusPlectorhinchus
    7. speciesPlectorhinchus sordidus (Klunzinger, 1870)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Grunts (Haemulidae)