IDENTIFICATION
Spotted Grunter have a compressed body with a long, sloping forehead and pointed snout. The body is silver-brown with a distinct mother-of-pearl sheen on upper flanks. The dorsal surface is covered with rows of small dark brown spots which extend onto the dorsal fins but not the head. There is a black blotch on the gill covers and the fins are translucent or dusky.

DISTRIBUTION
This is an Indian Ocean species extending along the East coast of Africa to Cape Agulhas. They also occur in the Far East.

FEEDING
They feed on worms, crabs, mud prawns and cracker shrimps, sea lice and bivalves. Spotted grunter are often seen with their tails waving out of the water on shallow banks during feeding. They use a pump-like action to expel jets of water out the mouth and so blow prey out of the sand. They inhabit shallow coastal regions, bays, brackish water of estuaries or sheltered lagoons, and can tolerate fresh water.

REPRODUCTION
Spotted grunter spawn in the open sea probably around estuary mouths, from late winter (July to December). After approximately one month at sea, the larvae make their way into estuary nursery areas where they remain until reaching maturity. The famous "grunter runs" at St Lucia and other large estuaries are post-spawning adult grunter returning to estuaries to feed.

GROWTH
Maturity is at 40 cm or approximately 3 years. They can attain a size of 80 cm and the South African record is 9,5 kg (greater than 15 years old).

FISHERY
This is a fine table fish caught by estuarine and surf anglers and by spear fishermen. Scientific knowledge of the population status of this species is limited. However, it is vulnerable due to its reliance on estuaries, many of which are degraded. Tagging results suggest this species is fairly resident, with most recaptures in the same vicinity to where they were originally tagged.

MANAGEMENT