Snowy grouper (Hyporthodus niveatus)

Scientific name: Hyporthodus niveatus Valenciennes, 1828

The Snowy grouper (Hyporthodus niveatus) is a marine fish of the family Serranidae. Native range: Western Atlantic, Canada to Massachusetts, USA to southern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.

Biology

Adults occur well offshore on rocky bottoms. Juveniles may be found inshore and are often reported from the northeastern coast of the U.S. Adults feed on fishes, gastropods, cephalopods, and brachyuran crustaceans. Valuable commercial food fish.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Hyporthodus niveatus
Family: Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 122
Common length: 60.0
Depth range: 30–525 m (98–1722 ft)
Environment: Marine; demersal; depth range 30 - 525 m, usually 100 - 200 m
Climate: Subtropical
Distribution: Western Atlantic: Canada to Massachusetts, USA to southern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.
Conservation status (IUCN): Vulnerable (VU) (A2d+3d), IUCN Grouper and Wrasse Specialist Group
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: commercial
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.07-0.09; tmax=27)

Sources

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

Last updated 27 September 2026