Mottled grouper (Mycteroperca rubra)

Scientific name: Mycteroperca rubra Bloch, 1793

The Mottled grouper (Mycteroperca rubra) is a marine fish of the family Serranidae.

Biology

Occurs over rocky and sandy bottoms; young individuals very common in mangrove-lined lagoons. Feeds on mollusks (presumably cephalopods) and small fishes. Marketed fresh.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Mycteroperca rubra
Family: Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 144
Common length: 80.0
Depth range: 15–200 m (49–656 ft)
Environment: Marine; demersal; depth range 15 - 200 m, usually 15 - 50 m
Climate: Subtropical
Distribution: Eastern Atlantic: Portugal to southern Angola; reports from islands require confirmation. Specimens from Madeira, Azores, Canary Islands, and Cape Verde have been examined by Heemstra (1991, ) and are identified to be Mycteroperca fusca. Replaced by Mycteroperca acutirostris in the western Atlantic.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC), IUCN Grouper and Wrasse Specialist Group
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience: Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

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

Last updated 27 September 2026