Giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus)

Scientific name: Epinephelus lanceolatus Bloch, 1790

Giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus)

The Giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Serranidae.

Biology

The largest bony fish found in coral reefs. Common in shallow waters. Found in caves or wrecks; also in estuaries. Individuals more than a meter long have been caught from shore and in harbors. Juveniles secretive in reefs and rarely seen. Benthopelagic and benthic. Feed on spiny lobsters, fishes, including small sharks and batoids, and juvenile sea turtles and crustaceans. In South African estuaries, the main prey item is the mud crab, Scylla serrata. Unconfirmed reports of fatal attacks on humans. Nearly wiped out in heavily fished areas. In the Hong Kong live fish markets. Large individuals may be ciguatoxic.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Epinephelus lanceolatus
Family
Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
270
Common length
190
Depth range
4–100 m (13–328 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 4 - 100 m, usually ? - 50 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea to Algoa Bay, South Africa and eastward to the Hawaiian and Pitcairn islands, north to southern Japan, south to Australia. Absence in the Persian Gulf is puzzling.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Vulnerable (VU) (A2d), IUCN Grouper and Wrasse Specialist Group
Threat to humans
Traumatogenic
Uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: commercial
Resilience
Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

More other freshwater fish

See all other freshwater fish

Sources

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

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