WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Painted Sweetlips

Diagramma pictum

Also known as: Australian Slatey, Blacktail, Bluey, Grey Sweetlip, Moke, Morwong, Mother-in-law Fish, Painted Blubberlip, Painted Thicklip, Painted Thick-lipped Grunt, Sailfin Rubberlip, Silver Sweetlips, Slate Bream, Slate Sweetlip, Slatey Bream, Slatey Sweetlip, Smokey Bream, Sweetlips, Thicklip Bream, Thicklip, Trout Sweetlip, Yellowdot Sweetlip

Adult
@fishx6 · Navy Pier, Ningaloo Reef, Exmouth, WA, Australia · June 20131 / 26

Showing details for the adult stage. Switch stages to see how it differs.

01

Overview

Found singly or in schools during the day, often in murky waters close to debris, rocky outcrops and wrecks, dispersing at night hunting for food, over open waters of bays, estuaries and coastal coral reefs.

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.

02

How to identify

Fins & Tail
black fin spots

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03

Habitat & where to find it

Where the adult stage lives, and where its photos were taken.

  • Range · Indo-West Pacific
  • Exact location · 7
  • Country only · 19
LIVES IN

Found singly or in schools during the day, often in murky waters close to debris, rocky outcrops and wrecks, dispersing at night hunting for food, over open waters of bays, estuaries and coastal coral reefs.

04

Adult photos 26

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderEupercaria incertae sedis
    5. familyHaemulidae
    6. genusDiagramma
    7. speciesDiagramma pictum (Thunberg, 1792)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Grunts (Haemulidae)