Pigfish

Orthopristis chrysoptera, the pigfish, hogfish, piggy perch, redmouth grunt or sailor's choice, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grunt belonging to the family Haemulidae. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean. This name derives from the grunting or chattering noise these fish make by rubbing their pharyngeal teeth together.

Habitat

Orthopristis chrysoptera are found at depths between 1 and 20 m (0 and 70 ft), where they can be found in estuaries and bays, sometimes entering canals, but seldom waters of very low salinity. Within these shallow waters they inhabit a range of habitats, residing over soft substrates such as sand or silt, hard substrates including jetties, reefs and oil rigs, as well as shell banks. They may be found both in coastal waters and over the continental shelf.

Distribution

Orthopristis chrysoptera is found in the western Atlantic Ocean along the east coast of the United States and Mexico. Its range extends from Massachusetts to Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico, including the Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba. It is also found in Bermuda. A single specimen was reported off the coast of southern Sicily in 2020, likely after being transported accidentally by a ship.