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Yellow Grunt; Boar Grunt
This common species is found practically everywhere from southern Florida to Brazil. At Key West it is known as boar grunt, and is very plentiful, usually in schools on rocky bottom. It is there caught with hook and line, the hook baited usually with a long worm, which the fishermen obtain from the stem of a tall plant growing on the bars. One fisherman reports catching as many as 500 to 600 in a single day. The best fishing is said to be in August, which is probably the spawning-time. It appears to be abundant about Porto Rico, where it is called cachicata and ronco amarillo. It reaches a foot to 18 inches in length, and a weight of a pound or more. At all places where common it is of much value as a food-fish; and the angler who visits Key West will find it interesting as a game-fish.
Colour in life, yellowish, side with about 10 broad, brassy bands, alternating with somewhat narrower pale blue bands, the fourth of which runs forward across upper edge of orbit, crossing the forehead and joining its fellow on opposite side; cheek and snout with similar blue lines, the one on middle of cheek forking below eye and enclosing an oblong area of the ground colour; spinous dorsal pale yellowish olive, bordered with orange; soft dorsal rusty olivaceous, with orange border; inside of mouth, except tips of jaws, blood-red.