MASTERS OF THE WATER-BONY FISHES 



241 



Fig. 13 i. Top. Yellow grunt, Haemulon flavolineatum, school around reefs and 

 wrecks like the propeller shaft of this World War I tanker. Bottom. Why the hlue- 

 striped grunt, Haemulon sciurus, "kiss" is iinknown, hut the cause may he sexual, 

 territorial or aggressive and leading to the estahlishnient of hierarchies. 



Siviilar Species: The sailor's choice (ronco), Haeimdon parra, is a gray fish 

 with dark fins. Small black spots above the lateral line form oblique, backward- 

 running streaks. It reaches a foot in length, swimming alone or in small groups 

 among the reefs, mangroves, and shallow waters of the Florida Keys and the 

 West Indies. The mojarra prieta, Haemulon scudderi, is the West Coast 

 representative of the sailor's choice, being of the same small size and having a 

 similar pattern. It is found from the Gulf of California to Panama. 



porkfish: Anistotremus virginiciis— Color Plate 5 



Size: Averages 6 inches. Up to 16 inches. 



Weight: Up to 2 pounds. 



Distrihiition: Florida to the West Indies. 



Identification: The two black bars on the head and fore-body and the yellow- 



