Venezuelan grouper

Last updated

Venezuelan grouper
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Serranidae
Subfamily: Epinephelinae
Genus: Mycteroperca
Species:
M. cidi
Binomial name
Mycteroperca cidi
Cervigón, 1966
Synonyms [2]

Labrus guaza Linnaeus, 1758

The Venezuelan grouper (Mycteroperca cidi) 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.

Contents

Description

The Venezuelan grouper has a body depth which is less than the length of the head. the depth of the body being around one third of the standard length, [3] the body is elongate and robust, and is no deeper at the origin of the dorsal fin than it is at the origin of the anal fin. [4] The dorsal fin contains 11 spines and 15-17 soft rays and the anal fin contains 3 spines and 10-12 soft rays. [2] The preopercleis serrated and has a distinct lobe at its angle which has enlarged serrations. The caudal fin is slightly concave. [4] The adults are pale greyish brown while the juveniles are greenish brown and are marked with irregular brown spots on the body. The soft rayed part of the dorsal fin and the anal fin has a white margin with a dark submarginal band. [3] This species attains a maximum total length of 114 centimetres (45 in), although they are more commonly around 60 centimetres (24 in), and a maximum published weight of 15 kilograms (33 lb). [2]

Distribution

The Venezuelan grouper is found in northern South America where its range extends from Santa Marta in Colombia to the Paria Peninsula in Venezuela. It has also been recorded off Port Royal in Jamaica but it is not known whether these represent an established population. [1]

Habitat and biology

The Venezuelan grouper is found on coral and rocky reefs as well as soft coral fields. The larger adults are normally found at deeper depths, while the juveniles are recorded from shallower waters, over sandy bottoms near and on coral reefs and from sea grass beds. It depth range is 5 to 160 metres (16 to 525 ft). Very little is known about the biology of this species. [1]

Taxonomy

The Venezuelan grouper was first formally described in 1966 by the Spanish ichthyologist and marine biologist Fernando Cervigón (1930–2017) with the type locality given as Isla Cubagua in Venezuela. [5]

Utilisation

The Venezuelan grouper is an important species for fisheries along the Caribbean coast of Venezuela as it is one of the three most numerous shallow water grouper species. It is taken using with traps and hook-and-line. The flesh is marketed fresh. [3]

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.

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

The gag grouper, also known as velvet rockfish, the gag, 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.

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

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.

<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.

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

Epinephelus andersoni, the catface grouper, brown-spotted grouper, catface rockcod or brown spotted 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 southwestern Indian Ocean where it is associated with reefs.

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

The yellow grouper, also known as the banded 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 Asian waters of the Western Pacific Ocean. Its natural habitats are shallow seas and rocky reefs.

<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">Gulf grouper</span> Species of fish

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.

<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">Sawtail grouper</span> Species of fish

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.

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

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.

<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.

<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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

The roving coral grouper, also known as the spotted coral 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 Indo-Pacific, although the Red Sea taxon, P. marisrubri, is regarded as a separate species by some authorities.

Epinephelus analogus, the spotted grouper, spotted cabrilla or rock bass, 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.

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.

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

The red hind, also known as the koon or lucky grouper in Caribbean vernacular, 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 native to the western Atlantic Ocean where it ranges from the eastern United States to Brazil. It is the most common species of Epinephelus in the Caribbean.

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

Epinephelus bruneus, commonly known as the longtooth grouper or the kelp 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 northwest Pacific in eastern Asia.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rocha, L.A. (2018). "Mycteroperca cidi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T14048A46910790. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T14048A46910790.en . Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Mycteroperca cidi" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
  3. 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. p. 264. ISBN   92-5-103125-8.
  4. 1 2 "Species: Mycteroperca cidi, Venezuelan grouper". Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  5. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Mycteroperca cidi". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 22 July 2020.