Smallmouth grunt
(Heamulon chrysargyreum)

H. chrysargyreum is a small fish that can reach a maximum length of 23 cm, but a length of 17 cm is typical.

It has a short snout with an almost horizontal mouth which is small, the jaws normally not extending as far as the front margin of the pupil. The inside of the mouth is red. It has a laterally compressed body with a forked caudal fin. Its background color is silver with five bronze-yellow horizontal lines on its sides. All fins, other than the pectoral fins are partially or completely yellow. The dorsal fin contains 12 spines and 13 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 9-10 soft rays.

H. chrysargyreum is widespread throughout the western Atlantic Ocean from south Florida to the cost of Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

The adults inhabit exposed areas of coral reefs and rocky coasts up to 25 m deep.