| Mycteroperca acutirostris | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Serranidae |
| Subfamily: | Epinephelinae |
| Genus: | Mycteroperca |
| Species: | M. acutirostris |
| Binomial name | |
| Mycteroperca acutirostris (Valenciennes, 1828) | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
Mycteroperca acutirostris the comb grouper, western comb grouper or wavy-lined grouper, is a species of grouper from the family Serranidae from the warmer waters of the western Atlantic Ocean.
Mycteroperca acutirostris has a greyish brown head and body which is marked with irregular white spots. It has 3-4 dark brown lines which start behind the eye and run along the underside of the body as dark undulating stripes. The body is laterally compressed and reaches a maximum length of 80 cm. The dorsal fin has 11 spines and 15-17 soft rays, the anal fin has 3 spines and 10-12 soft rays. [3] There is a dark brown stripe which runs from the maxillary streak to margin of the preopercle; the anal and dorsal fins are darker with white spots and streaks. The body is oblong and compressed with a depth of 2.7-3.2 times in standard length. It has a convex interorbital area; angular preopercle which has enlarged serrations at its angle which forms an indistinct lobe; the anterior and posterior nostrils are differing in size. [2] It normally reaches around 4 kg in weight, although there are reports of specimens weighing up to 10 kg. [1] The record rod caught fish was 5.25 kg which was caught off the Cagarras Islands in Brazil in 2004, [4] while the spear fishing record is 10.1 kg. [1]
Mycteroperca acutirostris occurs in the warmer waters of the western Atlantic from Bermuda, the northwestern Gulf of Mexico south to Brazil. The distribution is apparently disjunct with few reports of M. acutirostris from the Caribbean or north-eastern Brazil. There have been reports of this species under the synonym Serranus acutirostris from the Canary Islands but this is more likely to be a misidentification of Mycteroperca fusca . [2] [1]
Mycteroperca acutirostris occur within reefs, the adults preferring areas with rocky substrates, while the juveniles live among soft corals, turtle grass beds, mangroves and in shallower waters. The juveniles have also been found in intertidal rocky shores in tide pools in South Brazil [1] Their reproductive behaviour is little known although it is suspected that they are not sexually mature until they reach a weight of 2 kg.. In Brazilian waters they spawn during the southern spring, from September to December. They neither guard their eggs or broadcast them in the open water or over the substrate. [3]
The schools of M. acutirostris are normally encountered capturing prey in mid water. [3] A notable and distinctive behaviour which has been observed is that the fish pretends to be moribund by lying on its side, moving very slightly to attract prey. The fish would lay on its side moving slightly and striking at and consuming any smaller fish attracted by this behaviour. A juvenile M. acutirstris was observed using this behaviour off south-eastern Brazil and it caught 5 fish in the space of 15 minutes. [3] They prefer to feed at dawn and dusk. [5] Adult fish are often observed preying on sardine schools in the water column and it has been reported that juvenile M. acurirostris behave as an aggressive mimic of the black-ear wrasse Halichoeres poeyi , using their resemblance to the wrasse to disguise them from potential prey. [6] M. acurirostris have also been observed following foraging goldspot eels Myrichthys ocellatus during the day and preying on the decapods disturbed by the eels. [5] M. acutirostris has been observed being cleaned by Elacatinus figaro off the coast of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil. [3]
This species is popular as a game fish where it occurs in Brazilian waters but this is not the case in the Gulf of Mexico. [1] It is fished for as a food fish by subsistence fishermen in south eastern Brazil. [7]
Mycteroperca bonaci, the black grouper, black rockfish or marbled rockfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. Other fish are sometimes called the black grouper including the similar gag grouper, the misty grouper, and the critically endangered Warsaw grouper. This species is found in the western Atlantic Ocean from the northeastern United States to Brazil.
Mycteroperca microlepis, the gag, gag grouper, velvet rockfish or charcoal belly, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It comes from warmer parts of the West Atlantic, including the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. It is a drab, mottled-gray fish lacking the distinguishing features of most other groupers. Its pattern of markings resemble the box-shaped spots of the black grouper. It lacks the streamer-points on the tail fin that scamp and yellowmouth grouper have, and lacks yellow coloration around the mouth.
The yellowfin grouper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the warmer waters of the western Atlantic Ocean.
Cephalopholis boenak, the chocolate hind, brownbarred rockcod, brown-banded cod or brown-banded rockcod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is in the family Serranidae which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is associated with reefs over a wide Indo-Pacific distribution. It is an important species for commercial fisheries in some parts of its range.
The snowy grouper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Mycteroperca is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, groupers from the subfamily Epinephelinae, part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. They are predatory fish, largely associated with reefs and are found in tropical and subtropical seas in the Atlantic Ocean and the eastern Pacific Ocean. They are important target species for fisheries.
The Gulf grouper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is endemic to Mexico.
The sailfin grouper, also known as the bacalao grouper, colorado grouper or yellow grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found off islands in the eastern Pacific.
The sawtail grouper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses.. It is endemic to the western coasts of Mexico. The sawtail grouper commonly lives on fields of large boulders with gorgonians and black corals.
The mottled grouper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
The tiger grouper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the warmer waters of the western Atlantic Ocean.
Cephalopholis fulva, the coney or the butterfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is in the family Serranidae which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the western Atlantic. It is associated with reefs and is a quarry species for commercial and recreational fisheries. It can be found in the aquarium trade.
Epinephelus flavocaeruleus, commonly called blue-and-yellow grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is associated with reefs in the Indian Ocean.
Mycteroperca rosacea, the leopard grouper or golden grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Eastern Central Pacific that occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.
The scamp grouper, also known as scamp, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
The yellowmouth grouper, also known as the crossband rockfish, grey mannock, hamlet, harlequin rockfish, princess rockfish, rockfish, salmon grouper, salmon rock fish or scamp, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Caribbean and in the tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is also found in pockets in Brazil. It is a fairly large fish and it gets its name from the yellow around its mouth.
Mycteroperca fusca, the Island grouper or comb grouper, is a species of grouper from the family Serranidae which is endemic to the Macaronesian Islands in the eastern Atlantic. It is classified as Vulnerable in The IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.
The broomtail grouper or mangrove grouper is a species of ray-finned fish from the family Serranidae which is found in the eastern Pacific along the western coast of the Americas from California to Peru.
Hyporthodus mystacinus, the misty grouper, black grouperconvict grouper, eightbar grouper or moustache grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is primarily found in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico with populations present around the Galapagos Islands and Central American coastlines.
The oval grouper also known as the blackfin grouper, melon-seed grouper or oval rockcod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.
