Bony fish · Perciformes · Haemulidae

Black Margate

Anisotremus surinamensis

Data Deficient

There is not enough information to assess its risk of extinction. See full glossary

Anisotremus surinamensis, also known as pirambú, is a fish of the genus Anisotremus, family Haemulidae. It was scientifically described by Bloch in 1791.

Weight

up to 5.8 kg

Size

40 cm – 76 cm

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Sighting difficulty

Unknown

OceanCarnivore Nocturnal Fish Ocean

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Fun facts

It owes its name to the sounds it makes by grinding its pharyngeal teeth together, a noise it amplifies with its swim bladder and which is clearly audible underwater.
The juveniles act as cleaners, removing parasites from larger fish.
It hunts crustaceans, molluscs, echinoderms and small fish by night, and by day shelters in caves and under ledges.
The front half of its body is markedly darker than the rear, a feature that tells it apart from other grunts at a glance.
The juveniles settle on inshore hard bottoms off south-east Florida, which serve as nursery grounds.