Starspotted grouper (Epinephelus hexagonatus)

Scientific name: Epinephelus hexagonatus Forster, 1801

Starspotted grouper (Epinephelus hexagonatus)

The Starspotted grouper (Epinephelus hexagonatus) is a marine fish of the family Serranidae.

Biology

Common in exposed outer-reef areas in relatively shallow water. Well-camouflaged grouper, solitary (Ref 37816). Feeds mainly on fishes and crustaceans (stomatopods and brachyuran crabs).

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Epinephelus hexagonatus
Family
Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
27.5
Depth range
0–30 m (0–98 ft)
Environment
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 30 m, usually 6 - ? m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: none have been taken on the African coast, except for the specimen recorded by Randall and Heemstra 1991 from Kenyan coast north of Kilifi Creek. It is an insular species found in most tropical Indo-Pacific islands. Absent in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.9)

Sources

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

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