EPINEPHELUS ONGUS - (BLOCH, 1790)
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Perciformes (Order) > Percoidei (Suborder) > Epinephelidae (Family) > Epinephelus (Genus)
Mérou à flocons, Loche à taches claires, Honeycomb rock cod, Lace-finned rock-cod, Speckle-finned cod, Speckled-fin rockcod, Specklefin grouper, Wavy-lined grouper, Wavy-lined rock-cod, White-speckled grouper, White-speckled rock cod, White-streaked grouper, White-streaked rockcod, Whitestreaked grouper, Wire-netting cod, Witstrepie-klipkabeljou, Namihata, Garoupa floculada, Mero nubífero, Namihata, ナミハタ, 紋波斑魚, 紋波石斑魚,
Synonymes
Epinephelus slacksmithi (Whitley, 1959)
Epinephelus summana hostiaretis (Whitley, 1954)
Holocentrus ongus (Bloch, 1790)
Serranus bataviensis (Bleeker, 1849)
Serranus dichropterus (Valenciennes, 1828)
Serranus reticulatus (Valenciennes, 1828)
Serranus tumilabris (Valenciennes, 1828)
Serranus tumilabrus (Valenciennes, 1828)
Serranus tumilebris (Valenciennes, 1828)
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-16; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8; Pectoral fin rays: 15-17, large and fleshy; Gill rakers of first gill arch: 8-10 + 15-18 (including 6 to 8 rudiments on each limb); Lateral-line scales: 48-53; Lateral scale series: 95-110; Pectoral fins length: 1.4-1.7 in HL; Short pelvic fins: 1.9-2.4 in HL. Body depth: 2.7-3.2 in SL; Head length: 2.3-2.5 in SL; Head pointed, flat interorbital area, dorsal head profile slightly convex; Preopercle rounded, serrae small and mostly covered by skin; Upper edge of operculum strongly convex, the rear edge almost vertical, the upper spine extending posterior to lower spine; rear nostril diameter about twice that of anterior nostril; Small, embedded scales on maxilla; 2-4 rows of small teeth at midlateral part of lower jaw; Canines at front of jaws small or absent; Caudal fin rounded. Max. length: 40.0 cm TL. Depth range: 20 - 60 m.
Color
Juveniles of about 6 cm SL are brown, covered with small, dark-edged white spots which are round, except on front part of dorsal fin where they are elongated; White spots on paired fins become fewer and fainter with growth, and are absent in adults.
Body brown, with numerous small white spots (in specimens >10 cm SL), horizontally elongate and tend to form wavy white lines in adults, several round or irregular pale blotches (eye-sized or larger) usually superimposed over small white spots, head brown, with numerous small white spots dorsally behind eyes; Black maxillary streak usually hidden by maxilla, median fins with small white spots and streaks, the posterior margin blackish with a white edge, paired fins are greyish brown.
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.
ongus: latinization of ongo, from Ikan Ongo (Ikan=fish), Indonesian name for this fish.
Original description: Holocentrus ongus Bloch, 1790 - Type locality: Japan (erroneous, is Java, Indonesia).
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: East Africa and Madagascar east to Marshall Islands, Fiji and Tonga, north to southern Japan, south to Western Australia, Queensland (Australia) and New Caledonia.
Biology
Inhabits inner coastal and lagoon reefs, also in brackish waters where it occurs in ledges and caves. Solitary. Feeds on crustaceans and small fishes. A cryptic species which is not very common, but of some interest to fisheries in Japan (and probably elsewhere). Caught with hook-and-line, spear, and traps.
Similar species
Epinephelus coeruleopunctatus (Bloch, 1790) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Epinephelus corallicola (Valenciennes, 1828) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Epinephelus summana (Fabricius, 1775) - Red Sea; Northwestern Indian Ocean: Gulf of Aden, Socotra.
Last update: 2, May 2022
Mérou à flocons, Loche à taches claires, Honeycomb rock cod, Lace-finned rock-cod, Speckle-finned cod, Speckled-fin rockcod, Specklefin grouper, Wavy-lined grouper, Wavy-lined rock-cod, White-speckled grouper, White-speckled rock cod, White-streaked grouper, White-streaked rockcod, Whitestreaked grouper, Wire-netting cod, Witstrepie-klipkabeljou, Namihata, Garoupa floculada, Mero nubífero, Namihata, ナミハタ, 紋波斑魚, 紋波石斑魚,
Synonymes
Epinephelus slacksmithi (Whitley, 1959)
Epinephelus summana hostiaretis (Whitley, 1954)
Holocentrus ongus (Bloch, 1790)
Serranus bataviensis (Bleeker, 1849)
Serranus dichropterus (Valenciennes, 1828)
Serranus reticulatus (Valenciennes, 1828)
Serranus tumilabris (Valenciennes, 1828)
Serranus tumilabrus (Valenciennes, 1828)
Serranus tumilebris (Valenciennes, 1828)
---------------------------
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-16; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8; Pectoral fin rays: 15-17, large and fleshy; Gill rakers of first gill arch: 8-10 + 15-18 (including 6 to 8 rudiments on each limb); Lateral-line scales: 48-53; Lateral scale series: 95-110; Pectoral fins length: 1.4-1.7 in HL; Short pelvic fins: 1.9-2.4 in HL. Body depth: 2.7-3.2 in SL; Head length: 2.3-2.5 in SL; Head pointed, flat interorbital area, dorsal head profile slightly convex; Preopercle rounded, serrae small and mostly covered by skin; Upper edge of operculum strongly convex, the rear edge almost vertical, the upper spine extending posterior to lower spine; rear nostril diameter about twice that of anterior nostril; Small, embedded scales on maxilla; 2-4 rows of small teeth at midlateral part of lower jaw; Canines at front of jaws small or absent; Caudal fin rounded. Max. length: 40.0 cm TL. Depth range: 20 - 60 m.
Color
Juveniles of about 6 cm SL are brown, covered with small, dark-edged white spots which are round, except on front part of dorsal fin where they are elongated; White spots on paired fins become fewer and fainter with growth, and are absent in adults.
Body brown, with numerous small white spots (in specimens >10 cm SL), horizontally elongate and tend to form wavy white lines in adults, several round or irregular pale blotches (eye-sized or larger) usually superimposed over small white spots, head brown, with numerous small white spots dorsally behind eyes; Black maxillary streak usually hidden by maxilla, median fins with small white spots and streaks, the posterior margin blackish with a white edge, paired fins are greyish brown.
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.
ongus: latinization of ongo, from Ikan Ongo (Ikan=fish), Indonesian name for this fish.
Original description: Holocentrus ongus Bloch, 1790 - Type locality: Japan (erroneous, is Java, Indonesia).
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: East Africa and Madagascar east to Marshall Islands, Fiji and Tonga, north to southern Japan, south to Western Australia, Queensland (Australia) and New Caledonia.
Biology
Inhabits inner coastal and lagoon reefs, also in brackish waters where it occurs in ledges and caves. Solitary. Feeds on crustaceans and small fishes. A cryptic species which is not very common, but of some interest to fisheries in Japan (and probably elsewhere). Caught with hook-and-line, spear, and traps.
Similar species
Epinephelus coeruleopunctatus (Bloch, 1790) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Epinephelus corallicola (Valenciennes, 1828) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Epinephelus summana (Fabricius, 1775) - Red Sea; Northwestern Indian Ocean: Gulf of Aden, Socotra.
Last update: 2, May 2022