Pacific goliath grouper | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Perciformes |
Family: | Serranidae |
Subfamily: | Epinephelinae |
Genus: | Epinephelus |
Species: | E. quinquefasciatus |
Binomial name | |
Epinephelus quinquefasciatus (Bocourt, 1868) | |
Synonyms [2] | |
Serranus quinquefasciatusBocourt, 1868 |
The Pacific goliath grouper (Epinephelus quinquefasciatus), 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.
The Pacific goliath grouper has a robust, oblong body. The area between the eyes is wide and flat. The margin of the preopercle has fine serrations and an angled edge. [3] The dorsal fin contains 11 spines and 15–16 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays. [2] The caudal fin is rounded. [3] The head and body are grey or greenish in colour marked with pale blotches and small dark spots which are scattered over the upper head and body, as well as being on the pectoral fins. Subadult fish which are less than 100 centimetres (39 in) in length are overall greenish to tawny brown in colour with diagonal, irregular darker brown bars on the body and caudal fin. The juveniles have heavy spotting on the head, the soft-rayed part of the dorsal fin and the pectoral, pelvic, and caudal fins, They have 5 diagonal black bars on the body which reach onto the dorsal and anal fins and there is a black bar on base of the caudal fin. [3] This is one of the largest species of grouper, attaining a maximum total length of 250 centimetres (98 in). [2]
The Pacific goliath grouper is found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean off the west coasts of the Americas. It is found from the Gulf of California and the Pacific coast of Baja California south to Peru. Its range also includes the islands groups of Revillagigedos in Mexico, Cocos Island in Costa Rica and Malpelo Island in Colombia. [1]
The Pacific goliath grouper is found on offshore rocky reefs as adults, although it has also been recorded in inshore areas. The juveniles inhabit mangroves, estuaries, lagoons and bays. [1] It has been recorded feeding on sharks, rays, crustaceans, cephalopods, other fishes and even sea snakes and mammals. [3] Little is known about its biology but it is thought to be similar to the Atlantic goliath grouper. [1]
The Pacific goliath grouper was first formally described as Serranus quinquefasciatus in 1868 by the French zoologist and artist Marie Firmin Bocourt (1819–1904) with the type locality given as the mouth of Río Nagualate on the Pacific coast of Guatemala. [4] Felipe Poey assigned the giant and goliath groupers ( Epinephelus itajara and E. quinquefasciatus , which was then regarded as a synonym of E itajara) to the genus Promicrops but in 1972 this was designated as a subgenus of Epinephelus . However, these species are still each others closest relatives. [5]
The Pacific goliath grouper is a sought after quarry species for recreational and commercial fisheries in the entirety of its range. [1] It has declined over much of its range, and, in Colombia, smaller goliath groupers of lengths less than 30 centimetres (12 in) are regarded as the most valuable. This leads fishermen to target small and sexually immature groupers which threatens the local survival of the species by taking the fish before they get an opportunity to reproduce. [6]
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.
The comet grouper, also known as the comet cod or dot-dash 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 species of deep coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Epinephelus labriformis, commonly called starry grouper or flag cabrilla 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 Occean.
Cephalopholis sexmaculata, sixblotch hind, freckled cod, freckled rock-cod, sixband cod, six-banded rockcod, sixband rockcod or sixspot 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. This fish occurs throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
Epinephelus epistictus, the dotted grouper, black-dotted rock-cod, black-spotted grouper, broken-line grouper or spottedback 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. This species is found in the Indo-Pacific where its distribution ranges form the Red Sea to Australia and Japan. The dotted grouper may grow up to 70–80 cm length. It is a demersal fish found at 70–300 m depths.
Epinephelus erythrurus, the cloudy grouper, also known as the cloudy rock 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 marine and brackish waters in the Indo-Pacific region.
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.
Epinephelus heniochus, the bridled grouper or threeline 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 native to the tropical western Pacific Ocean.
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.
Epinephelus sexfasciatus, the sixbar grouper, sixbar rockcod or six-banded 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.
Epinephelus bruneus, the longtooth 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.
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.
Epinephelus bleekeri, the duskytail grouper, Bleeker's grouper or Bleeker's 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 where it is associated with shallow banks.
Epinephelus rivulatus, the halfmoon grouper, halfmoon rockcod, Chinaman rockcod, Charlie court cod, green-finned rock cod, or white-dotted 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 region.