Cephalopholis taeniops (Valenciennes 1828)

Distinguished by the following characteristics: body depth less than head length, 2.8-3.2 in SL; head length 2.7-3.0 in SL; interorbital area convex; rounded preopercle, finely serrate, with shallow notch, fleshy lower edge; subopercle and interopercle with few small serrae covered by skin; maxilla reaching vertical at rear edge of eye or beyond; pectoral fins longer than pelvic fins, pectoral fin length contained 1.5-1.7 in HL; pelvic fins reaching or nearly reaching anus; caudal fin rounded; lateral-body scales ctenoid, without auxiliary scales (Ref. 089707).

Pelagic spawner (Ref. 32181). Low ratio of males in population correlated with polygamy (Ref. 32181). This study (Ref. 32181), concluded that some males of C. taeniops may not pass through a functional female stage as observed in most groupers, and that these males may have developed directly from immature females conferring with the hypothesis of Shapiro (1987). Diandric (Ref. 103751).

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 16; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 9 - 10

Feeds on fish and large invertebrates. Dwells in sandy or rocky substrates (Ref. 127989).

Found on sandy and rocky bottoms (Refs. 32181, 127989). Diandric protogynous hermaphrodite (Ref. 089707).

fisheries: minor commercial; price category: very high; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family