Depth
Haemulon · Bony Fish

Bluestriped Grunt

Haemulon sciurus

0-40m
Depth Range
Variable
Max Size
Mediterranean
Distribution
0-40m
Depth Range
Variable
Max Size
Reef & Open
Habitat
Carnivore
Diet
Solitary
Social
LC
IUCN Status
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Genus Haemulon
Species sciurus

Bony Fish

Identification & Biology

  • IdentificationDeep, oval body with a small mouth and thick lips. Yellow body covered with distinctive bright blue horizontal stripes. Blue stripes also cross the head below the eye.
  • SizeUp to 45 cm total length, commonly 20 to 30 cm.
  • Social HabitHighly gregarious, forming large, dense schools near reef structures during the day. Disperses at night to feed over adjacent sand.
  • HabitatRocky reefs, wrecks, and around underwater structures. Rests in aggregations by day and feeds over sandy areas at night.
  • Depth3 to 40 m, most common between 5 and 20 m.
  • Feeds OnCrustaceans, worms, small molluscs, and other invertebrates foraged from sandy bottoms at night.
  • DistributionWestern Atlantic from Florida to Brazil. Occasional records in the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean.
  • DescriptionA strikingly coloured grunt with vivid blue stripes on a yellow body. While primarily a western Atlantic species, occasional individuals are recorded in the Mediterranean. Named 'grunt' for the sounds it makes by grinding its pharyngeal teeth together.

Range

Habitat & Distribution

Found across the Mediterranean, inhabiting reef & open environments. Active from the surface down to 40m depth.

Where Malta divers have spotted this species

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Sightings are logged by divers using our What Did You See? dive-log tool. View the full live sightings map.

Detail

Preferred Environment

Reef & Open habitats, typically at depths of 0-40m. Most commonly encountered by divers at the shallower end of its range.

Encounter Tips

Best approached slowly and calmly. Avoid casting shadows directly over the animal. Neutral buoyancy and patience increase encounter success significantly.

Bluestriped Grunt species card

Biology

Behaviour & Diet

Feeding Strategy

Forages at night over sandy and rubble bottoms for crustaceans, polychaete worms and small molluscs. Uses its pharyngeal teeth to process hard-shelled prey.

Nocturnal forager

Reproduction

A broadcast spawner that releases eggs and sperm into the water column. Spawning occurs in pairs or small groups during warmer months.

Seasonal spawning

Behaviour & Defence

Forms dense daytime aggregations in sheltered areas, which confuse predators through sheer numbers. Produces a grunting sound by grinding pharyngeal teeth when alarmed.

Schooling

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Where to Encounter in Malta

The following dive sites offer strong habitat match for Haemulon sciurus. All are accessible on a guided dive with diveshack.

5-30m
North Malta

Cirkewwa

Rocky reef with caves, arches and ledges hosting a rich diversity of reef species.

View dive site ›
5-50m
Gozo

Blue Hole

One of the Med's most famous reef dive sites. Rocky walls and archways covered in life.

View dive site ›
18-36m
South Malta

Um El Faroud

The wreck lies on a sandy bottom surrounded by rocky reef -- a diverse habitat attracting reef species.

View dive site ›
IUCN Red List Least Concern

Conservation Status

This species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Mediterranean populations face ongoing pressure from fishing activity, habitat degradation, and climate-driven changes to prey availability.

Source: iNaturalist Guide #888
by Lesley Clements (CC BY-SA)
diveshack Mediterranean Marine Life guide