Coney (Cephalopholis fulva)

Scientific name: Cephalopholis fulva Linnaeus, 1758

The Coney (Cephalopholis fulva) is a marine fish of the family Serranidae. Native range: Western Atlantic, South Carolina, USA and Bermuda to southern Brazil.

Biology

Prefers coral reefs and clear water. In the Gulf of Mexico, it occurs in clear deep reefs (at least 45 m). At Bermuda and the West Indies, the species is common in shallow water, but it usually hides in caves or under ledges during the day. The species is protogynous with females maturing at 16 cm TL and transforming to males at about 20 cm. Males are territorial. Feeds mainly on small fishes and crustaceans. May follow morays and snake eels to feed on flushed preys. Wary, but approachable.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Cephalopholis fulva
Family: Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 41.0
Depth range: 2–150 m (7–492 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 2 - 150 m, usually 2 - 35 m
Climate: Subtropical
Distribution: Western Atlantic: South Carolina, USA and Bermuda to southern Brazil.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Reports of ciguatera poisoning
Uses: Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tmax=11; K=0.14-0.63; Fec=67,000-280,000)