Size
Maximum size 25cm (10")
Recognition Characters
Large, protruding eyes; a broad mouth and fleshy areas (including flesh-like 'whiskers') surrounding the jaws; a short snout and scaleless, slimy skin; a rounded caudal fin and separate dorsal fins enveloping three short spines.
Color
Yellowish brown with oblique brown bars extending on to the fins.
Habitat & Depth
Temperate reefs, oyster beds, wrecks. Shallow subtidal to 40m.
Distribution at GRNMS
Abundant. Commonly lying in a sit and wait position along ledge. Highly unnoticeable because of camouflage color which matches surrounding substrate.
Geographic Range
Maine south to the West Indies
Behavior & Notes
Both sexes are known for the grunting sound they make whenever threatened or caught, and the males produce another vocalization-some call it a "foghorn" sound-to attract females during spawning.
Synonyms