EPINEPHELUS MACROSPILOS - (BLEEKER, 1855)
Picture courtesy of: Amaury Durbano
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Perciformes (Order) > Percoidei (Suborder) > Epinephelidae (Family) > Epinephelus (Genus)
Mérou tapis, Mérou Risdael, Vieille voleuse, Large-spotted rockcod, Snubnose grouper, Snubnose rockcod, Mero alfombrado, Grootkol-klipkabeljou, Kibirehata, キビレハタ, 大斑石斑魚, 大斑石斑鱼, لُؤز أنف خانس,
Synonymes
Ephinephelus macrospilus (Bleeker, 1855)
Epinephelus macrospilus (Bleeker, 1855)
Epinephelus microspilus (Bleeker, 1855)
Serranus cylindricus (Günther, 1859)
Serranus macrospilos (Bleeker, 1855)
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-17; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8; Pectoral fin rays: 18-19 (usually: 19); Lateral line scales: 48-52; Longitunidal scale series: 86-103; Total gill rakers: 21-24 (usually: 23). Head profile angular; Body robust, the width: 1.4-1.85 in depth. Body scales cycloid except ctenoid on lower region below pectoral fins; Body with numerous auxiliary scales; Greatest depth of body: 2.9-3.6 in SL (usually: 3.0-3.4); Rounded caudal fin; Pelvic fins: 1.8-2.4 in head length; Head length: 2.3-2.6 times in SL; Snout short: 4.25-5.3 in head; Flat or slightly concave interorbital area, dorsal head profile of adults with ventral bend at orbits; Rounded preopercle, minute serrae mostly covered by skin and shallow indentation just above the angle; Straight or slightly convex upper edge of operculum posterior nostril distinctly larger than anterior nostril; Maxilla reaches to or past vertical at rear edge of orbit, ventral edge smoothly curved at distal expansion; Strongly projecting lower jaw, 2-4 rows of teeth at midlateral part. Max. length: 51.0 cm TL. Max. published weight: 2.0 kg. Depth range: 3 - 44 m.
Color
Pale greyish color; Head, body and fins with well-spaced dark brown to orange brown spots of unequal size; Soft dorsal, anal and caudal fins with narrow white to yellow margin; Lower part of head and breast with white blotches; 3-4 black blotches along back.
Etymology
Epinephelus: from prefix Greek, epi = upon, on, over, near, at, before, after + from Greek, Nephos = cloud. Referring to film or membrane eye of most if not all groupers known to Bloch (although modern accounts mention only a transparent cornea protruding slightly through the orbit); Bloch also provided three vernacular names that describe the eyes: Blödaugen, German for “stupid eyes” or “bleary eyes,” depending on the translation, the English “Wall-eye,” and the French Tayes (per Bloch 1797), from taie, an opaque spot on the cornea.
macrospilos: from Latin, macro- = long, big, wide + from ancient Greek, spilos = spot. Referring to dark-brown spots on body and fins.
Original description: Serranus macrospilos Bleeker, 1855 - Type locality: Batjan, Molucca Islands, Indonesia.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), East Africa (Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya), Seychelles, Comoros, Madagascar and Mascarenes (La Réunion, Mauritius, Rodrigues) east to Marshall Islands and Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia), north to southern Japan and Ogasawara Islands (Japan), south to Queensland (Australia) and New Caledonia.
Biology
Found in lagoon and seaward reefs, including outer reef slopes. More abundant on oceanic reefs and rare on coastal reefs. Feeds on crustaceans (mainly crabs), fishes, octopus and squid. Solitary.
Similar species
Epinephelus corallicola (Valenciennes, 1828) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Epinephelus faveatus (Valenciennes, 1828) - Reported from Indo-West Pacific: southern India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cocos-Keeling Islands (Australia) and Indonesia.
Epinephelus howlandi (Günther, 1873) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Epinephelus merra (Bloch, 1793) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Epinephelus quoyanus (Valenciennes 1830) - Reported from Eastern Indian Ocean, western Pacific: Myanmar, Andaman Sea and Indonesia east to Philippines and New Guinea, north to Korea and southern Japan, south to Western Australia and New South Wales (Australia).
Last update: 29, January 2023
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Perciformes (Order) > Percoidei (Suborder) > Epinephelidae (Family) > Epinephelus (Genus)
Mérou tapis, Mérou Risdael, Vieille voleuse, Large-spotted rockcod, Snubnose grouper, Snubnose rockcod, Mero alfombrado, Grootkol-klipkabeljou, Kibirehata, キビレハタ, 大斑石斑魚, 大斑石斑鱼, لُؤز أنف خانس,
Synonymes
Ephinephelus macrospilus (Bleeker, 1855)
Epinephelus macrospilus (Bleeker, 1855)
Epinephelus microspilus (Bleeker, 1855)
Serranus cylindricus (Günther, 1859)
Serranus macrospilos (Bleeker, 1855)
-------------------------
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-17; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8; Pectoral fin rays: 18-19 (usually: 19); Lateral line scales: 48-52; Longitunidal scale series: 86-103; Total gill rakers: 21-24 (usually: 23). Head profile angular; Body robust, the width: 1.4-1.85 in depth. Body scales cycloid except ctenoid on lower region below pectoral fins; Body with numerous auxiliary scales; Greatest depth of body: 2.9-3.6 in SL (usually: 3.0-3.4); Rounded caudal fin; Pelvic fins: 1.8-2.4 in head length; Head length: 2.3-2.6 times in SL; Snout short: 4.25-5.3 in head; Flat or slightly concave interorbital area, dorsal head profile of adults with ventral bend at orbits; Rounded preopercle, minute serrae mostly covered by skin and shallow indentation just above the angle; Straight or slightly convex upper edge of operculum posterior nostril distinctly larger than anterior nostril; Maxilla reaches to or past vertical at rear edge of orbit, ventral edge smoothly curved at distal expansion; Strongly projecting lower jaw, 2-4 rows of teeth at midlateral part. Max. length: 51.0 cm TL. Max. published weight: 2.0 kg. Depth range: 3 - 44 m.
Color
Pale greyish color; Head, body and fins with well-spaced dark brown to orange brown spots of unequal size; Soft dorsal, anal and caudal fins with narrow white to yellow margin; Lower part of head and breast with white blotches; 3-4 black blotches along back.
Etymology
Epinephelus: from prefix Greek, epi = upon, on, over, near, at, before, after + from Greek, Nephos = cloud. Referring to film or membrane eye of most if not all groupers known to Bloch (although modern accounts mention only a transparent cornea protruding slightly through the orbit); Bloch also provided three vernacular names that describe the eyes: Blödaugen, German for “stupid eyes” or “bleary eyes,” depending on the translation, the English “Wall-eye,” and the French Tayes (per Bloch 1797), from taie, an opaque spot on the cornea.
macrospilos: from Latin, macro- = long, big, wide + from ancient Greek, spilos = spot. Referring to dark-brown spots on body and fins.
Original description: Serranus macrospilos Bleeker, 1855 - Type locality: Batjan, Molucca Islands, Indonesia.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), East Africa (Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya), Seychelles, Comoros, Madagascar and Mascarenes (La Réunion, Mauritius, Rodrigues) east to Marshall Islands and Marquesas Islands (French Polynesia), north to southern Japan and Ogasawara Islands (Japan), south to Queensland (Australia) and New Caledonia.
Biology
Found in lagoon and seaward reefs, including outer reef slopes. More abundant on oceanic reefs and rare on coastal reefs. Feeds on crustaceans (mainly crabs), fishes, octopus and squid. Solitary.
Similar species
Epinephelus corallicola (Valenciennes, 1828) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Epinephelus faveatus (Valenciennes, 1828) - Reported from Indo-West Pacific: southern India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cocos-Keeling Islands (Australia) and Indonesia.
Epinephelus howlandi (Günther, 1873) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Epinephelus merra (Bloch, 1793) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Epinephelus quoyanus (Valenciennes 1830) - Reported from Eastern Indian Ocean, western Pacific: Myanmar, Andaman Sea and Indonesia east to Philippines and New Guinea, north to Korea and southern Japan, south to Western Australia and New South Wales (Australia).
Last update: 29, January 2023