# Anisotremus virginicus

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Species of fish

Anisotremus virginicus Conservation status Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Acanthuriformes Family: Haemulidae Genus: Anisotremus Species: A. virginicus Binomial name Anisotremus virginicus (Linnaeus, 1758) Synonyms[2] Sparus virginicus Linnaeus, 1758

***Anisotremus virginicus***, the **porkfish**, also known as the **Atlantic porkfish**, **sweetlips**, **dogfish**, or **paragrate grunt**, is a [species](/source/Species) of marine [ray-finned fish](/source/Ray-finned_fish), a [grunt](/source/Haemulidae) belonging to the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Haemulidae](/source/Haemulidae). It is native to the western [Atlantic Ocean](/source/Atlantic_Ocean).

## Description

*Anisotremus virginicus* has a deep, compressed body with a very high back and a short, blunt head. The mouth is positioned low on the head, it is horizontal with fleshy lips and the jaws are equipped with bands of teeth on both jaws. The outer band of teeth is conical in shape.[3] The flanks are marked with alternating yellow and silver stripes. A black bar runs diagonally from over the eye to the upper lip and a second, vertical black bar runs from the front of the [dorsal fin](/source/Dorsal_fin) to the base of the [pectoral fin](/source/Pectoral_fin). They have yellow fins; the caudal fin is deeply forked. The juveniles do not have the two black bars and have two black stripes that run horizontally along the middle of the flanks and a black blotch close to the [caudal fin](/source/Caudal_fin) base, and the head is vivid yellow.[4] The dorsal fin contains 12 spines and 16–18 soft rays, while the [anal fin](/source/Anal_fin) contains three spines and 9 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 40.6 cm (16.0 in), although 25 cm (9.8 in) is more typical, and the maximum published weight is 930 g (33 oz).[2]

A porkfish swimming in a tank

## Distribution

*Anisotremus virginicus* is found in the western Atlantic Ocean from northeastern [Florida](/source/Florida) south along its Atlantic coast to the Bahamas, then westwards into the [Gulf of Mexico](/source/Gulf_of_Mexico) from the [Florida Keys](/source/Florida_Keys) north to [New Port Richey](/source/New_Port_Richey) on Florida's Gulf Coast. Within the gulf, it is found at the [Flower Garden Banks](/source/Flower_Garden_Banks_National_Marine_Sanctuary) and on the Mexican coast as far south as the northern [Yucatan Peninsula](/source/Yucatan_Peninsula) and also northwestern Cuba. It then ranges southwards throughout the [Caribbean Sea](/source/Caribbean_Sea), to South America as far south as [Rio de Janeiro](/source/Rio_de_Janeiro). It can also be found at [Fernando de Noronha](/source/Fernando_de_Noronha) and [Atoll das Rocas](/source/Rocas_Atoll).[1] It is found at [Bermuda](/source/Bermuda), where it was introduced.[4]

## Habitat and biology

*Anisotremus virginicus* inhabits reefs and areas of rock substrate in shallow inshore waters at depths of 2.0–20 m (6.6–65.6 ft).[4] The juveniles are found in beds of sea grass.[5] It is a nocturnal species, which frequently moves around in large schools, occasionally swimming with [white grunts](/source/White_grunt). This species can produce a grunting sound, as can all the grunts, by grinding its teeth together. It feeds mainly on benthic invertebrates such as [molluscs](/source/Molluscs), [crustaceans](/source/Crustaceans), [echinoderms](/source/Echinoderms), [polychaetes](/source/Polychaete), and [annelids](/source/Annelid).[6] The juveniles act as [cleaner fish](/source/Cleaner_fish), picking [parasites](/source/Parasite) from the skin and scales of other species of fish.[4][7]

## Systematics

*Anisotremus virginicus* was first formally described in 1758 as *Sparus virginicus* by Linnaeus, with the type locality given as South America.[8] When American [ichthyologist](/source/Ichthyologist) [Theodore Nicholas Gill](/source/Theodore_Gill) created the genus *Anisotremus*, he renamed *Sparus virginicus* and made it the type species.[9]

## Uses

*Anisotremus virginicus* is of minor importance to commercial fisheries and is caught using a variety of methods. It is considered a good sportfishing quarry and appears in the aquarium trade.[1][4] The species has been bred in captivity.[10]

## References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Anisotremus virginicus](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Anisotremus_virginicus).

[Wikispecies](/source/Wikispecies) has information related to ***[Anisotremus virginicus](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Anisotremus_virginicus)***.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-iucn_status_19_November_2021_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-iucn_status_19_November_2021_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-iucn_status_19_November_2021_1-2) Anderson, W.; Claro, R.; Cowan, J.; Lindeman, K.; Padovani-Ferreira, B.; Rocha, L.A.; Sedberry, G. (2015). ["*Anisotremus virginicus*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/194409/2333098). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2015** e.T194409A2333098. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T194409A2333098.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T194409A2333098.en). Retrieved 19 November 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_2-1) [Froese, Rainer](/source/Rainer_Froese); [Pauly, Daniel](/source/Daniel_Pauly) (eds.). ["*Anisotremus virginicus*"](https://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?genusname=Anisotremus&speciesname=virginicus). *[FishBase](/source/FishBase)*. December 2019 version.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-STRI_3-0)** ["Species: Anisotremus virginicus, the Porkfish"](https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/caribbean/en/thefishes/species/3713). *Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information*. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Retrieved 22 March 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-DF_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-DF_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-DF_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-DF_4-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-DF_4-4) ["Anisotremus virginicus"](https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/anisotremus-virginicus/). *Discover Fishes*. Florida Museum. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ga_5-0)** ["Porkfish"](https://www.georgiaaquarium.org/animal/porkfish/). Georgia Aquarium. Retrieved 22 March 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Anisotremus virginicus (Atlantic Porkfish)"](https://sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/sites/default/files/lifesciences/images/Anisotremus%20virginicus%20-%20Atlantic%20Porkfish.pdf) (PDF). *uwi.edu*. Retrieved 4 August 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Anisotremus virginicus"](https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/anisotremus-virginicus/).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CofF_8-0)** Fricke, Ron; [Eschmeyer, William N.](/source/William_N._Eschmeyer) & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). ["Species in the genus *Anisotremus*"](http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatget.asp?tbl=species&genus=Anisotremus). *[Catalog of Fishes](/source/Catalog_of_Fishes)*. [California Academy of Sciences](/source/California_Academy_of_Sciences). Retrieved 22 March 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CofF2_9-0)** Fricke, Ron; [Eschmeyer, William N.](/source/William_N._Eschmeyer) & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). ["Genera in the family Haemulidae"](http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatget.asp?tbl=genus&family=Haemulidae). *[Catalog of Fishes](/source/Catalog_of_Fishes)*. [California Academy of Sciences](/source/California_Academy_of_Sciences). Retrieved 22 March 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-risingtide_10-0)** ["PORKFISH"](https://www.risingtideconservation.org/porkfish/). Rising Tide Conservation. 23 November 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2021.

## External links

- Photos of [Anisotremus virginicus](https://sealifecollection.org/taxon/279625) in the Sealife Collection

Taxon identifiers Anisotremus virginicus Wikidata: Q1733218 Wikispecies: Anisotremus virginicus ADW: Anisotremus_virginicus BOLD: 59274 CoL: 66T8G FishBase: 1124 GBIF: 2382596 iNaturalist: 49947 IRMNG: 11251669 ITIS: 169086 IUCN: 194409 NCBI: 490245 Observation.org: 157236 OBIS: 279625 Open Tree of Life: 560752 WoRMS: 279625

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