Greasy grouper (Epinephelus tauvina)

Scientific name: Epinephelus tauvina Forssk?l, 1775

Greasy grouper (Epinephelus tauvina)

The Greasy grouper (Epinephelus tauvina) is a marine fish of the family Serranidae.

Biology

Prefers clear water areas on coral reefs; juveniles have been taken from reef flats and in tide pools, adults found in deeper waters. Solitary and common in lightly fished areas. Adults from Oceania almost exclusively feeds on fishes (holocentrids, mullid, and pomacentrid). In the Hong Kong live fish markets. Minimum depth reported taken from. Occasionally ciguatoxic. Reports of sizes in excess of 80 cm total length for E. tauvina are probably based on misidentifications of E. coioides, E. malabaricus, and E. lanceolatus; these species grow much bigger than tauvina..

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Epinephelus tauvina
Family
Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
75.0
Common length
90.0
Depth range
1–300 m (3–984 ft)
Environment
Marine; reef-associated; oceanodromous; depth range 1 - 300 m
Climate
Subtropical
Distribution
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea to South Africa and eastward to Ducie in the Pitcairn Group, north to Japan, south to New South Wales and Lord Howe Island. Migration report from the eastern Mediterranean Sea may be based on Epinephelus coioides specimens.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Data deficient (DD)
Threat to humans
Reports of ciguatera poisoning
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.1-0.17; tm=5-6)

Sources

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

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