Snowy grouper

Last updated

Snowy grouper
Snowy grouper (Epinephelus niveatus).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Serranidae
Subfamily: Epinephelinae
Genus: Hyporthodus
Species:
H. niveatus
Binomial name
Hyporthodus niveatus
(Valenciennes, 1828)
Synonyms [2]
  • Serranus niveatusValenciennes, 1828
  • Epinephelus niveatus(Valenciennes, 1828)
  • Serranus margaritifer Günther, 1859
  • Serranus conspersus Poey, 1860
  • Hyporthodus flavicauda Gill, 1861
  • Alphestes scholanderi Walters, 1957

The snowy grouper (Hyporthodus niveatus) 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.

Contents

Description

The snowy grouper has a robust, compressed, oval body which has its deepest point at the origin of dorsal fin. [3] Its standard length is 2.4 to 2.8 times longer than its depth. The preopercle has a serrated edge and the serrations at its angle are enlarged, where there is also often a spine bent upwards, clothed in skin and located on its lower edge immediately in front of its angle. The upper edge of the gill cover is notably convex. [4] There are 11 spines and 13-15 soft rays in the dorsal fin while the anal fin contains 3 spines and 9 soft rays. [2] The membranes between the dorsal fin spines have deep notches. The caudal fin has a rear margin which is convex in juveniles of standard lengths less than 30 centimetres (12 in) and is straight or concave in adults. [4] The overall colour is dark brown with a black margin to the spiny part of the dorsal fin. Juveniles are dark brown and are marked with obvious white spots arranged in vertical rows on the rear part of the head and on the body. These extend onto the dorsal fin and like adults they have a black margin to the spiny part of the dorsal fin while the caudal and pectoral fins are yellow to clear. The upper part of the base of the caudal fin has a deep black saddle-like mark that extends underneath the lateral line. [3] This species attains a maximum published total length of 122 centimetres (48 in), although are more commonly around 60 centimetres (24 in), and a maximum published weight of 30 kilograms (66 lb). [2]

Distribution

The snowy grouper occurs in the western Atlantic Ocean. It is found around Bermuda and along the eastern coast of the United States from Virginia south into the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Its range extends along the coasts of Central America and South America from Mexico to the Valdes Peninsula in Argentina. [1] It has been recorded as far north as Massachusetts. [5]

Habitat and biology

The snowy grouper is found at depths of between 10 and 525 metres (33 and 1,722 ft) over rock substrates in offshore waters, although they are most common between 100 and 200 metres (330 and 660 ft). [1] The juveniles are found in shallower, coastal waters and are frequently found along the northeastern coast of the United States. [4] Like most groupers this species is predatory and prey items recorded for adults include fishes, gastropods, cephalopods, and brachyuran crustaceans. [2] They are protogynous hermaphrodites and form aggregations for spawning. Females attain sexual maturity at ages between 3 and 5 years old and total lengths of 45.1 to 57.5 centimetres (17.8 to 22.6 in), changing to males 3 to 4 years after attaining sexual maturity as females. [1] Off North America this species spawns from May to June and a female may lay more than 2 million eggs in a season. [6]

Taxonomy

The snowy grouper was first formally described as Serranus niveatus in 1828 by the French zoologist Achille Valenciennes (1794-1865) with the type locality given as Brazil. [7] In 1861 Theodore Nicholas Gill described a new species Hyporthodus flavicauda and placed it in its own monotypic genus, Hyporthodus although this was later shown to be a synonym of Serranus niveatus, this means that Serranus niveatus is the type species of this genus. [8]

Utilisation

The snowy grouper is targeted by commercial fisheries in the United States, in Central America and off South America using hook-and-line, bottom longlines, traps and trawls. [1] In United States waters the snowy grouper may be fished for from 1 January to 31 August but as its management includes an annual catch limit, the fishery may be closed if this limit has been met or is projected to be met. [6] In 2019 the fishery was closed on 3 August. [9]

Sources

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Bertoncini, A.A.; Ferreira, B.; Aguilar-Perera, A. (2018). "Hyporthodus niveatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T7861A46909546. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T7861A46909546.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Hyporthodus niveatus" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
  3. 1 2 "Species: Hyporthodus niveatus, Snowy grouper". Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 Heemstra, P.C. & J.E. Randall (1993). FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 16. Groupers of the world (family Serranidae, subfamily Epinephelinae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the grouper, rockcod, hind, coral grouper and lyretail species known to date (PDF). FAO Fish. Synopsis. Vol. 125. FAO, Rome. pp. 204–206. ISBN   92-5-103125-8.
  5. Mark Grace; Kevin R. Rademacher; Mike Russell (1994). Pictorial Guide to the Groupers (Teleostei: Serranidae) of the Western North Atlantic. NOAA Technical Report. U.S. Department of Commerce. p. 29.
  6. 1 2 "Snowy Grouper Regulations". South Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  7. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Serranus niveatus". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  8. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Hyporthodus". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  9. "Commercial Closure for Snowy Grouper in South Atlantic Federal Waters on August 3, 2019". NOAA. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.

Related Research Articles

<i>Mycteroperca bonaci</i> Species of fish

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 warsaw grouper. This species is found in the western Atlantic Ocean from the northeastern United States to Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White grouper</span> Species of fish

The white 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. The white grouper is found in the subtropical eastern Atlantic Ocean and the southern Mediterranean Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marbled grouper</span> Species of fish

The marbled grouper, donkey fish, mutton hamlet, rockhind and sicklefish 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 a predatory reef fish which is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smooth grouper</span> Species of fish

The smooth 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 and is found in the western Indian Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hong Kong grouper</span> Species of fish

The Hong Kong 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 eastern and southeastern Asian waters of the Western Pacific Ocean. Its natural habitats are shallow seas and coral reefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speckled hind</span> Species of fish

The speckled hind, also known as the calico grouper, kitty mitchell or strawberry 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 Bermuda and off eastern coast of North America. Its natural habitats are open seas, shallow seas, subtidal aquatic beds, and coral reefs. It is threatened by habitat loss.

The tenspine 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 along the western coast of Mexico and Central America, but is a very rare fish of which little information exists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red grouper</span> Species of fish

The red 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.

The Venezuelan 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 northern South America and the Greater Antilles.

<i>Mycteroperca</i> Genus of fishes

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sailfin grouper</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiger grouper</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific goliath grouper</span> Species of fish

The Pacific goliath grouper, also known as the Pacific itajara 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 Pacific Ocean where it is associated with reefs. It is related to the Atlantic goliath grouper.

<i>Cephalopholis panamensis</i> Species of fish

Cephalopholis panamensis, the Pacific graysby or Panama graysby, 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 Eastern Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longfin grouper</span> Species of fish

The longfin grouper, also known as the longfin rockcod, bar-breasted rock-cod, Gilbert's rock-cod, honeycomb rockcod, spotted groper or wirenet cod, 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.

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.

<i>Epinephelus faveatus</i> Species of fish

Epinephelus faveatus, the barrel-chested grouper, also known as the Indian 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.

<i>Epinephelus latifasciatus</i> Species of fish

Epinephelus latifasciatus, the striped grouper, banded grouper or spotfin 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 Indo-Pacific region.

<i>Hyporthodus mystacinus</i> Species of fish

Hyporthodus mystacinus, the misty grouper, black grouper, convict 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oval grouper</span> Species of fish

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.