Habitat: Marine and brackish waters. Reefs, tidal creeks, bights surrounded by mangroves, canals and shallow, protected bays having turtlegrass bottom cover. Depth range 25 - 95 m. Natural History Notes: Large adults usually among rocks and coral while juveniles occur over sandy, vegetated (usually Thalassia) bottoms. Forms small aggregations which disband during the night. Feeds both day and night on fishes, crustaceans and cephalopods, preying to a large extent on small grunts. Characteristics: Adults : plain and barred color phases, usually barred when at rest and becoming nearly uniformly colored when swimming. Silver to gray, reddish brown and maroon. Pointed anal fines lobes. Small black subdorsal spot entirely above the lateral line. Irregular narrow blue ban from above middle of maxillary to lower edge of eye and another diagonal blue line on snout, continuing in back of eyes. Caudal fin finely edged with black. Juveniles : much larger lateral spot, the lateral line passes through its lower half.