Foursaddle grouper (Epinephelus spilotoceps)

Scientific name: Epinephelus spilotoceps Schultz, 1953

The Foursaddle grouper (Epinephelus spilotoceps) is a marine fish of the family Serranidae.

Biology

Occurs in lagoon patch reefs, the upper slopes of channels, and reef margins. Carnivorous. Nothing has been published on its biology.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Scientific name: Epinephelus spilotoceps
Family: Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 35.0
Depth range: 0–30 m (0–98 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 30 m
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: Indo-Pacific: east coast of Africa to the Line Islands. Except for its occurrence along the African coast (Zanzibar, Tanzania to Ponta Zavora, Mozambique) it seems to be primarily an insular species, occurring at most (probably all) of the islands of tropical Indian and west-central Pacific. Not known from the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Taiwan, Japan, or Australian waters (however, it is found at Rowley Shoals off Western Australia).
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026