Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets) > Epinephelinae
Etymology: Mycteroperca: Greek, mykter, -eros = nose + Greek, perke = perch (Ref. 45335).

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 137 m (Ref. 5222), usually 5 - 35 m (Ref. 40849). Subtropical; 33°N - 28°S, 92°W - 33°W (Ref. 5222)

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m 51.0 range ? - ? cm
Max length : 100.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 26340); common length : 50.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217); max. published weight: 18.5 kg (Ref. 40637)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-16; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10 - 12. Head and body have oval groups of dark spots; outer third of pectoral fin bright yellow (Ref. 26938).

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions | Faunafri

Western Atlantic: Bermuda, Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean south to Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Adults found on rocky and coral reefs, juveniles occur in shallow turtle grass beds. Also been taken in trawls over mud bottom in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Feeds mainly on fishes (mostly on coral reef species) and squids. Although often implicated in ciguatera poisonings, it is a desirable food fish; and even large (5 to 10 kg) fish from areas considered safe are sold in markets. Also caught with surface trolling. Sex-reversal has been observed (Ref. 5521).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Heemstra, Phillip C. | Collaborators

Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall, 1993. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 16. Groupers of the world (family Serranidae, subfamily Epinephelinae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the grouper, rockcod, hind, coral grouper and lyretail species known to date. Rome: FAO. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(16):382 p.

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 90363)

Near Threatened (NT) , IUCN Grouper and Wrasse Specialist Group

Threat to humans

Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 4690)

Human uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums

FAO(fisheries: production; publication : search) | FisheriesWiki | Sea Around Us

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Estimates of some properties based on empirical models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805): PD₅₀ = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01093 (-0.08602 - 0.10788), b=3.05 (2.98 - 3.11), based on LWR estimates for species & genus-BS (Ref. 93245).

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278): 4.5 ±0.8 se; Based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 69278): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.09-0.17; tmax=15; Fec=400,000).

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (53 of 100) .

Price category (Ref. 80766): Very high.

Mycteroperca venenosa (Linnaeus, 1758)