Epinephelus coioides

• Overview
• Common Names
• Description
• Taxonomy
• Similar Species
• More Info
• Further Reading
• Notes

Overview

Family : Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets ; Inhabit turbid coastal reefs[1] and are often found in brackish water[2] over mud and rubble [3]. Juveniles are common in shallow waters of estuaries over sand , mud and gravel and among mangroves [3]. Feed on small fishes , shrimps, and crabs. Probably spawn during restricted periods and form aggregations when doing so[4]. Eggs and early larvae are probably pelagic [3].

Threatened

Common Names

Click on the language to view common names.

Description

Family Serranidae

Distribution: Tropical and temperate oceans. Some enter freshwater . Operculum bearing 3 spines - a main spine with one below and one above it. Lateral line complete and continuous, not reaching onto caudal fin (lacking in one species). Dorsal fin may be notched , with 7-12 spines. Three spines on anal fin. Caudal fin usually rounded , truncate , or lunate ; rarely forked . Tip of maxilla exposed even with mouth closed . No scaly axillary pelvic process . One spine on pelvic fin; soft rays 5. Branchiostegal rays usually 7. Vertebrae 24-26. Monoecious with some functional hermaphrodites ; groupers are protogynous hermaphrodites. Anthiinae are mostly small colorful planktivores feeding primarily on tiny crustaceans and fish eggs . They change sex from females to a few dominant males. Despite their attractive colors they need zooplankton as food and are thus not well suited for aquariums . Groupers attain up to 3 m maximum length and weights of up to 400 kg . They are bottom-dwelling predators and highly commercial food fish . Groupers are hardy aquarium fish, but grow rapidly. Grammistinae get their name from a bitter tasting skin toxin , grammistin, which can kill other animals in an aquarium. They feed on crustaceans and fishes .The family Serranidae belongs to the Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) and the Order Perciformes. It contains 62 genera and 449 species. It may be found in Marine , Brackish , and Freshwater environments and is primarily Marine. Many members of this family are used in the aquarium trade. Reproductively, most members of this family are nonguarders. The main mode of swimming of adult fish in this family is subcarangiform. Compared with other fish, the activity level of this family tends to be normal. Members of this family have been dated back to the Eocene epoch of the Tertiary period. Etymology of this family name : Latin, serranus = derived from saw, fish saw. 1803

Habitat

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 162 meters (0 to 531 feet).[5]

Biome: Brackish water, saltwater . Reef-associated .

Ecology: Adults are reef-associated (FishBase 2003) and are often found in brackish water (Randall et. al. 1997) over mud and rubble (Kailola et. al. 1993). Juveniles are common in estuaries over sand , mud and gravel and among mangroves (Kailola et. al. 1993).

Maximum age recorded is 22 years (FishBase 2003).

Females are mature at 25–30 cm total length (2–3 years old), sexual transition occurs at a length of 55–75 cm, and the major spawning period in the Persian Gulf is from March to June (Heemstra and Randal 1993). In the southern Arabian Gulf it is March to May (Grandcourt et. al. 2003). In New Caledonia spawning aggregations form in late October to early December (M. Kulbicki, pers. comm. 2004).


List of Habitats :1.7Forest - Subtropical/Tropical Mangrove Vegetation Above High Tide Level 9.1Marine Neritic - Pelagic 9.8Marine Neritic - Coral Reef 9.9Marine Neritic - Seagrass (Submerged) 9.10Marine Neritic - Estuaries 10.1Marine Oceanic - Epipelagic (0-200m) 12.4Marine Intertidal - Mud Flats and Salt Flats 13.4Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes

Taxonomy

Ambiguous Synonyms

1. Epinephelus malabaricus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
2. Epinephelus salmoides (Non Lacep�de, 1802)
3. Epinephelus tauvina /i> (Forssk�l, 1775)
4. Serranus salmonoides Valenciennes, 1828

Unambiguous Synonyms

1. Bola coioides Hamilton, 1822
2. Cephalopholis nebulosus (Valenciennes, 1828)
3. Epinephelus coiodes (Hamilton, 1822)
4. Epinephelus nebulosus (Valenciennes, 1828)
5. Epinephelus suillus (Valenciennes, 1828)
6. Homalogrystes guntheri Alleyne & Macleay, 1877
7. Serranus nebulosus Valenciennes, 1828
8. Serranus suillus Valenciennes, 1828

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name . Latest taxonomic scrutiny: Group expert : Heemstra P.C., Data last modified by FishBase 25-Mar-1994

Similar Species

Members of the genus Epinephelus

There are approximately 241 species in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

E. malabaricus · E. acanthistius (Rooster Hind) · Mycteroperca rubra · E. adcensionis · E. adscencionis · E. adscenscionis · E. adscensionis (Rock Grouper) · E. adscensionus · E. adsencionis · E. adsencionus · E. adsensianis · E. aeneus (White Grouper) · E. aereolatus · E. aerolatus · Alphestes immaculatus · E. akaara (Redspotted Grouper) · E. albimaculatus · E. albomarginatus (White-Edge Freshwater Whipray) · E. costae · E. amblycephalus (Bighead Grouper) · E. analis · E. analogus (Rock Bass Spotted Cabrilla) · E. andersoni (Brown-Spotted Rockcod) · E. angularis · E. apua · E. areolatus (Yellow-Spotted Rock-Cod) · E. argus · E. ascensionis · E. aspersus · E. aurantius · E. australis · E. awoara (Yellow Goosefish) · E. bilobatus (Frostback Rockcod) · E. bimaculatus · E. bleekeri (Bleeker´s Rock Cod) · E. boenack · E. bonaci · E. bontoides (Palemargin Grouper) · E. bruneus (Longtooth Grouper) · E. brunneus · E. caeruleopunctatus · E. caninus (Dogtooth Grouper) · E. capreolus · E. carponotatus · E. chabaudi (Moustached Grouper) · E. chalinius · E. chlorocephalus (Tonga Grouper) · E. chlorostigma (Brown-Spotted Reef-Cod) · E. chrysotaenia · E. cifuentesi (Olive Grouper) · E. ciliatus · E. clippertonensis · E. coeruleopunctatus (Small-Spotted Rock Cod) · E. coioides (Orange-Spotted Grouper) · E. corallicola (Duskyfin Grouper) · E. costae (Goldblotch Grouper) · E. cruentatus · E. cubanus · E. cyanopodus (Speckled Blue Grouper) · E. cylindricus · E. daemelii (Spotted Black Grouper) · E. damelii · E. damelli · E. darwinensis (Darwin Grouper) · E. bleekeri · E. diacanthus (Six-Barred Reef Cod) · E. dianthicanus · E. dispar · E. doederleinii · E. drummond-hayi · E. drummondhayi (Calico Grouper) · E. drummond hayi · E. drysipolius · E. elongatus · E. emoryi · E. epistictus (Black-Spotted Grouper) · E. ergastularius (Down-Under Grouper) · E. erythraeus · E. erythrurus (Cloudy Rock Cod) · E. exsul (Tenspine Grouper) · E. faciatus · E. longispinis · E. fasciatomaculatus · E. fasciatomaculosus (Rock Grouper) · E. fasciatus (Black-Tipped Rock-Cod) · E. faveatus (Barred-Chest Grouper) · E. flavocaeruleus (Blue and Yellow Reef Cod) · E. flavocoeruleus · E. flavolimbatus (Yellowfinned Grouper) · E. fulva · E. fulvus · E. fuscoguttatus (Brown-Marbled Grouper) · E. fuscus · E. fuseoguttatus · E. gabriellae (Gabriella´s Grouper) · E. longispinis · E. marginatus · E. gilberti · E. goreensis (Redbanded Grouper) · E. octofasciatus

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Further Reading

• Anon. (1993). Computerized catalog of the fish collection. California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California.
• Anonymous. 1993. Fishing Industry Organization and Marketing Amendment Regulation (No. 3). Subordinate Legislation No. 235. State of Queensland.
• Anonymous. 2002. Public Consultation Document. Environmental Impact Statement on the Ocean Hauling Fishery - Appendix F. Department of the Environment and Heritage, Canberra, Australia
• Assadi, H. and R. Dehghani P. (1997). Atlas of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman fishes. Iranian Fisheries Research and Training Organization, Iran.
• Biusing, E. R., M. Phillips, and A. S. Cabanban. 1999. Aquaculture of coral reef fishes and other nearshore fishes in Sabah, Malaysia. pp. 74-86. In: Cabanban, A. S. and Phillips, M. (eds.) Aquaculture of Coral Reef Fishes and Sustainable Fisheries. Proceedings Workshop on Aquaculture of Coral Reef Fishes and Sustainable Reef Fisheries. Institute of Development Studies, Sabah, Malaysia. 274 pp.
• Burke, L., Selig, E. and Spalding, M. (eds). 2002. Reefs at Risk in Southeast Asia. World Resources Institute, Washington, D.C., 72 pp.
• Cheung, W.L. (2001) Restocking – an effective measures to restore the depleted fishery stocks in Hong Kong. Porcupine 24, p12-14.
• Cheung, W.L. (2001) Restocking – an effective measures to restore the depleted fishery stocks in Hong Kong. Porcupine 24, p12-14.
• Coppola, S.R., W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi, N. Scialabba and K.E. Carpenter (1994). SPECIESDAB: Global species database for fishery purposes. User's manual. FAO Computerized Information Series (Fisheries). No. 9. Rome, FAO. 103 p.
• Grandcourt E.M., Al Abdessalaam T.Z., Francis F. and Al Shamsi, A.T. 2003. Population biology and stock assessment of the Orange-spotted grouper, Epinephelus coioides, in the Southern Arabian Gulf. Internal report, Marine Environmental Research Centre, Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency, UAE.
• Hamilton, F. 1822. An account of the fishes found in the river Ganges and its branches. Edinburgh & London.
• Heemstra, P.C. and Randall, J.E. 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. FAO Fisheries Synopsis. No. 125, Vol. 16. Rome, FAO.
• Heemstra, Phillip C. and John E. Randall 1993. Groupers of the World. An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of the Grouper, Rockcod, Hind, Coral Grouper, and Lyretail Species Known to Date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis (125), Vol. 16. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Rome, Italy. ISBN: 92-5-103125-8.
• Hodgson, G. and Liebeler, J. 2002. The global coral reef crisis – Trends and Solutions. California: unpublished manuscript.
• Kailola, P.J., Williams, M.J., Stewart, P.C., Reichelt, R.E., McNee, A. & Grieve, C. 1993. Australian fisheries resources. Bureau of Resources Science, Canberra, Australia. 422p.
• Kolding, J., H. Tcheler and B. Chanda 1996 Assessment of the Bangweulu swamps fisheries: final report, December 1996. WWF Bangweulu Wetlands Project, University of Bergen. 51 p.
• Lau, P.F. and Parry-Jones, R. 1999. The Hong Kong Trade in Live Reef Fish for Food. TRAFFIC East Asia and World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
• Lau, P.P.F.and Li, L.W.H. 2000. Identification Guide to Fishes in the Live Seafood Trade of the Asia-Pacific Region. WWF Hong Kong and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. Hong Kong. 137pp.
• Liao, C.-I., H.-M. Su and E.Y. Chang (2001). Techniques in finfish larviculture in Taiwan. Aquaculture 200(2001):1-31.
• Mathews, C.P. and M. Samuel (1991). Growth, mortality and length-weight parameters for some Kuwaiti fish and shrimp. Fishbyte 9(2):30-33.
• McKenna, S.A. Allen, G.R. and Suryadi, S. 2002. A marine rapid assessment of the Raja Ampat Islands, Papua Province, Indonesia. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 22, Conservation International, Washington D.C.
• Mohsin A.K.M. and Ambak M.A. 1996. Marine Fishes and Fisheries of Malaysia and Neighbouring Countries. Universiti Pertanian Malaysia Press, Serdang, Malaysia. pp. 744
• Morgan, G.R. 1983. A preliminary multi-species assessment of Kuwait’s gargoor (fish trap) fishery. Annual Research Report, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, 8:65-66.
• Myers, R.F. (1999). Micronesian reef fishes: a comprehensive guide to the coral reef fishes of Micronesia, 3rd revised and expanded edition. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 330 p.
• Parenti, P. and N. Bressi (2001). First record of the orange-spotted grouper, Epinephelus coioides (Perciformes: Serranidae) in the northern Adriatic Sea. Cybium v. 25 (no. 3): 281-284
• Prokop F. 2002. Australian Fish Guide. Australian Fishing Network, Victoria, Australia. 2nd reprint. Pp 224
• Randall, J.E. (1995). Coastal fishes of Oman. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 439 p.
• Randall, J.E. 1995. Coastal Fishes of Oman. University of Hawaii, Honolulu.
• Randall, J.E. and P.C. Heemstra (1991). Revision of Indo-Pacific groupers (Perciformes: Serranidae: Epinephelinae), with descriptions of five new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes (20):332 p.
• Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. and Steene, R.C. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Revised edition. Crawford House, Bathurst, NSW. 557pp.
• Sadovy, Y. 1998. A taste for live fish: Hong Kong’s live reef fish market. Naga, the ICLARM Quarterly 21(2):38-42.
• Sadovy, Y. 2000. Regional survey for fry/fingerling supply and current practices for grouper mariculture: evaluating current status and long-term prospects for grouper mariculture in South East Asia. Final report to the Collaborative APEC grouper research and development network (FWG 01/99). December, 2000.
• Sadovy, Y. and Cornish, A.S. 2000. Reef Fishes of Hong Kong. Hong Kong University Press, Hong Kong. 320 pp.
• Smith, M.M. and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) (1986). Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. 1047 p.
• Spalding M., Blasco B. and Field, C. 1997. World Mangrove Atlas. The International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems, Okinawa. pp 178.
• Thollot, P. (1996). Les poissons de mangrove du lagon sud-ouest de Nouvelle-Cal�donie. ORSTOM �ditions, Paris.
• Uwate K.R. & Shams A.J. ???? Bahrain fish stock enhancement: lessons learned and prospects for the future. Online report (Accessed: 30/04/2004).
• Uwate K.R. & Shams A.J. ???? Bahrain fish stock enhancement: lessons learned and prospects for the future. Online report (Accessed: 30/04/2004).
• Werner, T.B and Allen, G.R. 1998. A rapid biodiversity assessment of the coral reefs of Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea. RAP Working Papers 11, Conservation International, Washington D.C.
• Werner, T.B. and Allen, G.R. (eds). 2000. A rapid marine biodiversity assessment of the Calamianes Islands, Palawan Province, Philippines. Conservation International RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 17. Washington, D.C. pp. 1-127.
• Yashiro, R. 1996. Status of Grouper Breeding and Culture in Thailand. Online report (Accessed: 30/04/2004).

Notes

Contributors

• Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed April 19, 2007.
• Cornish, A. & Harmelin-Vivien, M. 2004. Epinephelus coioides. In: IUCN 2006. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 October 2006.
• Cornish, A. & Harmelin-Vivien, M. (Grouper & Wrasse Specialist Group) 2004. In IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCNRedList.org. Downloaded July 18, 2008.
• FishBase
• FishBase 2006.
• Froese, R., and D. Pauly. FishBase 2004. International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed March 04, 2008. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 7 providers.
• Heemstra, Phillip C. (from FishBase).

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal March 04, 2008:

• Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum: Bishop Museum Natural History Specimen Data
• FishBase: FishBase DiGIR Provider - Philippine Server
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: AIMS - Baited Remote Underwater Video Station (OBIS Australia)
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: Bishop Museum Data (OBIS distribution) (USOBIS)
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: Bureau of Rural Sciences National commercial fisheries half-degree data set 2000-2002 (OBIS Australia)
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: CSIRO Marine Data Warehouse (OBIS Australia)
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University: South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity - Fish Collection (AfrOBIS)
• Museum national d'histoire naturelle: Ichtyologie
• Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University: MCZ Fish Collection
• OZCAM (Online Zoological Collections of Australian Museums) Provider: Online Zoological Collections of Australian Museums
• Royal Ontario Museum: Fish specimens
• Senckenberg: Collection Pisces

Identifiers

• Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 2492212
• Catalogue of Life Accepted Name Code: Fis-26136
• Fishbase Species ID: 6465
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13739880
• Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 551050
• IUCN ID: 44674
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 110057

Footnotes

1. Lieske, E. and R. Myers (1994). Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Haper Collins Publishers, 400 p. [back]
2. Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene (1997). Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Second Edition. Revised and expanded edition. Crawford House Publishing Pty Ltd. Bathurst, NSW, Australia. 557 p. [back]
3. Kailola, P.J., M.J. Williams, P.C. Stewart, R.E. Reichelt, A. McNee and C. Grieve (1993). Australian fisheries resources. Bureau of Resource Sciences, Canberra, Australia. 422 p. [back]
4. Shapiro, D.Y. (1987). Reproduction in groupers. p. 295-327. In J.J. Polovina and S. Ralston (eds.) Tropical snappers and groupers. Biology and fisheries management. Westview Press, Boulder. [back]
5. Mean = -31.870 meters (-104.560 feet), Standard Deviation = 31.510 based on 181 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]

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