Burrito grunt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Burrito grunt |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
The burrito grunt (Anisotremus interruptus) is a cool type of fish that lives in the ocean. It's a ray-finned fish, which means its fins are supported by bony rays. This fish belongs to a group called Haemulidae, also known as grunts, because some of them make grunting sounds! You can find the burrito grunt in the warm, tropical waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The burrito grunt has a body that's quite deep and flat from side to side, with a high back. Its head is short and rounded, and it has a small mouth that sits low down. This mouth has thick lips and rows of teeth, with the outer teeth being cone-shaped.
Its back is a shiny, yellowish-brown color. This color fades to a creamy white underneath its body. The scales on its sides have dark centers, which makes them look spotted. Its fins are yellowish.
The fin on its back, called the dorsal fin, is one long fin but has a deep dip in the middle. It has 12 to 13 strong spines, with the fourth one being the longest. It also has 16 to 17 soft rays. The fin underneath its body, called the anal fin, has 3 spines (the second one is very strong and long) and 8 to 9 soft rays. Its side fins, called pectoral fins, are long and reach almost to its anal fin. The tail fin is shaped like a fork.
This fish can grow up to about 51 centimeters (20 inches) long, but it's more common to see them around 30 centimeters (12 inches). The heaviest burrito grunt ever recorded weighed about 4.5 kilograms (10 pounds)!
Where Does It Live?
The burrito grunt lives in the eastern Pacific Ocean. You can find it from central Baja and the Gulf of California all the way down to Peru. It also lives around several islands like the Galapagos Islands, Cocos Island, Malpelo Island, and the Revillagigedo Islands. However, it doesn't live near Clipperton Island.
Its Home and Habits
Burrito grunts like to live in coral reefs and rocky areas. They usually stay in water that is 3 to 30 meters (10 to 100 feet) deep, but they rarely go deeper than 12 meters (40 feet).
During the day, these fish like to hide! They spend their time tucked away in cracks in rocks or inside caves. When night comes, they swim out to find food. They mostly eat small creatures that live on the seafloor, like tiny crabs or worms.
How It Got Its Name
The burrito grunt was first officially described in 1862 by an American fish expert named Theodore Nicholas Gill. He gave it the scientific name Genytremus interruptus. The word interruptus means "broken." This name refers to a broken line pattern that young burrito grunts have on their sides.
Is It Fished?
The burrito grunt is not caught very often by big fishing companies. There aren't enough of them to make it a main target for commercial fishing. However, if they are caught, people say their meat tastes good!
