Marine fish that resemble snappers; they are called "grunts" because they make sounds by grinding their pharyngeal teeth together. The noises are amplified by their swim bladder. They are denizens of reefs and mangrove swamps and are esteemed as game and food fish. They may be seen in dense schools over the reefs during the day, dispersing at night over the flats to feed on small fish and crustaceans. Many species have fire-red-lined mouths. Individuals of certain species have been observed pressing their open mouths together in a manner resembling kissing. Many species are less than 0.3 m (1 ft) long, and very few are over 0.6 m (2 ft) in length.
Feeds on burrowing organisms, sometimes "spitting" jets of water into the sand to uncover them. Length is under one foot.
MUTTON/NASSAU GROUPER (epinephelus striatus)
In addition to the black saddle on the tail base, the Mutton/Nassau is distinguished form the red grouper by the dark band running through the eye, five dark bars banding the body, and black dots that ring the eye. Large than the red grouper, it attains a length of four feet. These fish are edible. Some large specimens can cause poisoning.
AMBER/YELLOW JACK (caranx bartholomaei)
Another edible game fish is the yellow jack, a strong fast moving family, Carnivorous and sliver in color with a yellow tail which gives it a distinctive look. The yellow jack grows to about three feet.
