Fish Identification Photos: Spottail Grunt, Haemulon maculicauda: The Spottail Grunt has an overall gray appearance characterized by a large black spot or blotch at the base of its caudal fin.

Its scale rows that run parallel along its sides. Its scale centers are white, giving the appearance of white rows on its sides.

The Spottail Grunt has dark fins. It can most likely be confused with the Goldeneye Grunt, Haemulon scudderi (overall gray appearance with no spot on the base of its caudal fin, yellow fins) and the Latin Grunt, Haemulon steindachneri (silver brown, oblique lines and yellow fins).

The Spottail Grunt is a member of the Haemulidae or Grunt Family which are known in Mexico as "burros."

The Spottail Grunt is found in all Mexican waters along the Pacific side of the Baja California peninsula, throughout the Gulf of California, along the coast of mainland Mexico, and around most of the oceanic islands.

The Spottail Grunt grows to a length of 12 inches and is generally found around inshore coral and rocky reefs in the first 100 feet of the water column.

The Spottail Grunt is viewed as good table fare but is generally small, impractical to fillet, and is also not abundant enough to be of significant interest.

Spottail Grunt, Haemulon maculicauda: Photo courtesy of John Snow. Spottail Grunt, Haemulon maculicauda: Photo courtesy of John Snow. Spottail Grunt, Haemulon maculicauda: Juvenile caught on a Sabiki Rig, San Jose del Cabo (Los Cabos), Baja California Sur, Mexico, September 2006. Size approximately 1.5 inches. Photo courtesy of John Snow. Spottail Grunt, Haemulon maculicauda: Photo courtesy of John Snow. Spottail Grunt, Haemulon maculicauda: Length 12 inches, caught with a Rapala, June 2001, from a panga at Punta Colorada, East Cape, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Description, fish identification, and photo courtesy Peter Langstraat.