Dr. Glen Whisson, Aqua Research and Monitoring Services, Australien
Info
This grunt is distinguished from other grunts by a dark spot behind the operculum, three or four dark bands on the body, and spotted dorsal, anal, and caudal fins.
Pelsartia humeralis is commonly found in schools over coastal seagrass beds in southern Western Australia, with a few specimens also observed in South Africa.
In addition, the fish lives in offshore bays and sheltered offshore areas, the more reddish-brown colored juveniles often hiding in wrecks, detached macrophytes, seagrass and macroalgae.
Pelsartis humeralis is distinguished from Pelates octolineatus, the only other terapontid found in southwestern Australia, by having 3 - 4 broad dark vertical bands along the body versus 5 - 8 dark bands along the sides (plus often 6 - 7 indistinct vertical bands - darker at night) and conical teeth with no additional lobes or points versus teeth with 3 distinct lobes or points.
It is a pale gray to brown trumpeter, becoming silvery white below, with about 4 broad dark intermittent bands along the sides, a large dark spot above the pectoral fin, and small dark spots on the soft dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. J
Juveniles have rows of dark spots along the back.
The sea trumpeter has a long, oval body, elongated dorsal fin, and conical teeth with no additional lobes or points.
The psyllid Allorchestes compressa is one of the favorite foods of the grunt.
Synonym: Therapon humeralis Ogilby, 1899
Pelsartia humeralis is commonly found in schools over coastal seagrass beds in southern Western Australia, with a few specimens also observed in South Africa.
In addition, the fish lives in offshore bays and sheltered offshore areas, the more reddish-brown colored juveniles often hiding in wrecks, detached macrophytes, seagrass and macroalgae.
Pelsartis humeralis is distinguished from Pelates octolineatus, the only other terapontid found in southwestern Australia, by having 3 - 4 broad dark vertical bands along the body versus 5 - 8 dark bands along the sides (plus often 6 - 7 indistinct vertical bands - darker at night) and conical teeth with no additional lobes or points versus teeth with 3 distinct lobes or points.
It is a pale gray to brown trumpeter, becoming silvery white below, with about 4 broad dark intermittent bands along the sides, a large dark spot above the pectoral fin, and small dark spots on the soft dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. J
Juveniles have rows of dark spots along the back.
The sea trumpeter has a long, oval body, elongated dorsal fin, and conical teeth with no additional lobes or points.
The psyllid Allorchestes compressa is one of the favorite foods of the grunt.
Synonym: Therapon humeralis Ogilby, 1899
