Biology
provided by Arkive
This long-lived fish has a fascinating and complex life-history. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning that individuals first function sexually as females and then later, at least some of the mature females change to males. It is thought that this sex change can occur at a wide range of sizes and ages, although not all individuals change sex. A brown-marbled grouper can live for over 40 years, an incredibly long time for a fish, and can reproduce for over 30 of those years, during which time they form large aggregations to spawn (2).
The brown-marbled grouper is one of the largest fish predators on coral reefs (5), and is mainly active at dusk, when it feeds on fishes, crabs and cephalopods (3) (6). This secretive and wary fish may be ciguatoxic (5); that is, the flesh may be contaminated with a toxin that can make humans very sick if consumed.
Conservation
provided by Arkive
In many parts of the brown-marbled grouper's range there are conservation measures in place. For example in Queensland, Australia, there are minimum and maximum size limits for catches; in Papua New Guinea, night time spear fishing at a known spawning aggregation site is prohibited; and in Palau, the Marie Protection Act of 1994 prohibits sale or purchase of this species from April 1 to July 31 each year (1). This species also occurs within a number of marine protected areas, such as the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (5). However, these laws are not always adhered to (1), and it has been suggested that the current maximum size limit in Queensland is too high to protect a sufficient number of breeding individuals (2).
Description
provided by Arkive
The brown-marbled grouper is a robust marine fish, with a pale yellowish-brown, scaled body, covered with large, irregular, dark brown blotches. The head, back and sides are also covered with close-set tiny brown spots. The head profile is slightly indented at the eye, and then curves out towards the start of the dorsal fin. The tail, or caudal, fin is rounded (3).
Habitat
provided by Arkive
The brown-marbled grouper inhabits shallow water over coral reefs and rocky bottoms, in areas of rich coral growth and clear water, down to depths of 60 meters. Juveniles are found in areas of seagrass (3) (4).
Range
provided by Arkive
The brown-marbled grouper occurs throughout the Indo-Pacific region; from the Red Sea to the Samoan Islands, north to the Ryuku Islands and south to the Great Barrier Reef (3) (4).
Status
provided by Arkive
Classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List 2006 (1).
Threats
provided by Arkive
The brown-marbled grouper is an important component of regional fisheries, and several biological characteristics of this species result in it being particularly vulnerable to over-fishing. As it forms spawning aggregations it is an easy and attractive target for fishermen; the long lifespan means that the population can take many years to recover if numbers become depleted; and as a protogynous hermaphrodite, it is greatly threatened by the trend of fishermen to target larger fish. The large individuals of a population includes all the males that are vital to maintain the sex ratio, as well as important female breeders that are highly fertile and contribute a substantial proportion of young to the population for many years (2). Removing all the large individuals from the population can have devastating consequences. The destruction of seagrass beds and coral reefs due to human activities also poses a threat to the survival of this species (1).
Diseases and Parasites
provided by Fishbase
Vibriosis Disease (general). Bacterial diseases
Trophic Strategy
provided by Fishbase
Found inshore (Ref. 75154).
Morphology
provided by Fishbase
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 15; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 8
Diagnostic Description
provided by Fishbase
This species is distinguished by the following characters: body moderately deep, its depth 2.6-2.9 in SL (for specimens 11-55 cm SL); head length 2.3-2.5 in SL; interorbital area flat or slightly concave; dorsal head profile of adults indented at eyes and distinctly convex from there to dorsal-fin origin; rounded preopercle, finely serrate; upper edge of operculum distinctly convex, descending almost vertically to rear end of operculum; ventral edge of preorbital bone indented below nostrils; maxilla extends well posterior to eye; midlateral part of lower jaw with 3 or 4 rows of teeth; posterior nostrils triangular, 4-7 times larger than anteriors in adults; gill rakers on first gill arch 10-12 + 17-21 (rudiments often difficult to count), gill rakers short and stout, raker at angle subequal to longest gill filaments, other rakers distinctly shorter; cycloid scales except ctenoid in juvenile; body with auxiliary scales; caudal fin rounded; pectoral-fin rays 18-20; lateral-line scales 52 to 58. Colour: pale yellowish brown, with 5 vertical series of dark brown blotches that are very irregular in outline; head, body, and fins covered with close-set small brown spots, those on the dark blotches much darker than spots in between blotches; caudal peduncle with small black saddle dorsally; 2 or 3 faint, dark bars at side of jaws (Ref. 39231, 89707).
Diseases and Parasites
provided by Fishbase
Fish Leech Infestation (Hirudinea sp.). Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)
Diseases and Parasites
provided by Fishbase
Cauliflower Disease. Viral diseases
Diseases and Parasites
provided by Fishbase
Gas-bubble Disease (e.). Others
Biology
provided by Fishbase
Occurs in lagoon pinnacles, channels, and outer reef slopes, in coral-rich (Ref. 1937) areas and with clear waters. Juveniles in seagrass beds (Ref. 30573, 41878). Feeds on fishes, crabs, and cephalopods. May be ciguatoxic in some areas (Ref. 1602). Mainly active at dusk (Ref. 48635). Palau fishers increase their drop-line and spear-gun catches through knowledge of reproductive cycle of remochel, one of most important species in the area (Ref. 2928). Cultured under experimental conditions in the Philippines; a candidate for aquaculture in Singapore. In Hong Kong live fish markets (Ref. 27253). Caught with hook-and-line, traps, and spear and occasionally seen in local markets (Ref. 39231).
- Recorder
- Crispina B. Binohlan
Importance
provided by Fishbase
fisheries: minor commercial; aquaculture: commercial; aquarium: commercial; price category: very high; price reliability: questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this genus
- Recorder
- Crispina B. Binohlan
分布
provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
廣泛分布於印度-太平洋區。西起非洲東岸，東至薩摩亞及費尼克斯群島，北自日本南部，南迄澳洲等。台灣南部、西部、東北部及澎湖有產。
利用
provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
具經濟性之食用魚，或用於水族館展示，亦可人工養殖。一般漁法以延繩網及一支釣捕獲。清蒸食用佳。因食物鰱之故，可能含有熱帶海魚毒。
描述
provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
體長橢圓形，側扁而粗壯，標準體長為體高之2.6-2.9倍。頭背部斜直；眶間區略凹陷。眼小，短於吻長。口大；上下頜前端具小犬齒或無，兩側齒細尖，下頜約3列。鰓耙數10-12+17-21，隨著成長而逐漸退化。前鰓蓋骨後緣具鋸齒，下緣光滑。鰓蓋骨後緣具3扁棘。體被細小櫛鱗；側線鱗孔數52-58；縱列鱗數102-115。背鰭鰭棘部與軟條部相連，無缺刻，具硬棘XI，軟條14-15；臀鰭硬棘III枚，軟條8；腹鰭腹位，末端延伸不及肛門開口；胸鰭圓形，中央之鰭條長於上下方之鰭條，且長於腹鰭，但短於後眼眶長；尾鰭圓形。體呈淡黃褐色；頭部及體側散佈許多大型不規則之褐色斑；尾柄具一黑色鞍狀斑；頭部、體側及各鰭另散佈許多小暗褐色斑點。
棲地
provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
主要棲息於潟湖及海灣內之獨立礁周圍水域，亦常常被發現於外礁斜坡區以及清澈水域。主要以魚類及甲殼類為食。
Brown-marbled grouper
provided by wikipedia EN
The brown-marbled grouper or tiger grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) is a benthic marine fish which belongs to the family Serranidae or also known as the groupers.
Description
Epinephelus fuscoguttatus is a medium-sized fish which grows up to 120 cm, but the average size mostly observed is 50 cm.[2] Its body has a stocky and robust aspect, is compressed laterally and has a sharp profile for the head. The mouth is big and has a superior position with many small teeth and canine in front. The background coloration is pale yellowish-brown with many dark brown or grey blotches that are irregular in size and shape. The body is also covered with many small dark brown spots. All the fins are large and round.
The brown-marbled grouper can be easily confused with its close relative Epinephelus polyphekadion. The differences are more obvious on adult specimens. The distinctive characters of the brown-marbled grouper are: a small black saddle on the top of caudal peduncle, when observed on the side a notch above the eyes and the front head is clearly visible, its body is quite thick from the front of the dorsal fin to the bottom of the fish below the pectoral fins.[3]
Distribution and habitat
It is widely distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific, from eastern coasts of Africa to the oceanic islands of the centre of the Pacific Ocean, Red Sea included. However, it is absent from the Persian Gulf, Hawaii and French Polynesia.[2]
Like many of the groupers, the brown-marbled grouper lives in rich clear waters close to coral or rocky reefs, lagoons and external slopes from the surface until 60 metres (200 ft) depth.[4]
Feeding
The brown-marbled grouper is carnivorous and its diet consists mainly in fishes, crustaceans and cephalopods, it is an ambush predator.[5]
Behavior
This grouper is solitary, sedentary, it defends a well defined territory, benthic and has an nocturnal which can be maximal at sunrise and/or at sunset.[6]
It has a quite long life span for a fish, it can expect to live until at least 40 years old.[7]
It is protogynous hermaphrodite, which means the female can evolved to male during its life.
Protection
The brown-marbled grouper is listed "Vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species since 2004. Because of its size and hardiness, this species has a high commercial interest for the live food fish trade.
However, its biological characteristics make this species particularly vulnerable to over-fishing. Especially during mating periods at specific times and places, the brown-marbled grouper forms spawning aggregations which are easy and attractive targets for fishermen. The long life span of this grouper and its low population density in reefs in the wild result in a weak and slow population regeneration capacity. Furthermore, as fishers prefer to target large fish the brown-marbled groupers are a popular species. That concerns especially males so if the sex ratio between males and females is falling, it will affect the fertilization capacity of the species. It will have the same result on over-fishing females breeders that are highly fertile and would not be able to actively contributing to maintain the proportion of young in the population.
Brown-marbled groupers can be cultured by hatcheries but these installations' breeding stock are derived from wild caught fish. Wild capture of breeding stock also has a negative effect on the global population because all the groupers catch in any size category are kept and grown until they reach market size.
As ciguatera toxin is common in brown-marbled groupers' flesh, this does limit fishing of this species in some geographic areas.
Over the last few years, some protective measures or/and sustainable fishing methods have been introduced by many states where spawning aggregations are known, for example Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Malaysia, Solomon Islands and Palau.[8][1]
References
-
^ a b Rhodes, K.; Sadovy, Y.; Samoilys, M. (2018). "Epinephelus fuscoguttatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T44673A100468078. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T44673A100468078.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
-
^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Epinephelus fuscoguttatus" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
-
^ Introduction to Monitoring and Management of Spawning Aggregations and Aggregation Sites for Three Indo-Pacific Grouper Species (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus, Epinephelus polyphekadion, and Plectropomus areolatus), THE NATURE CONSERVANCY, Indo-Pacific Draft Field Manual, June 2003, http://www.reefresilience.org/pdf/manual_field_practitioners.pdf
-
^ Lieske, E. and R. Myers, 1994. Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Harper Collins Publishers, 400 p.
-
^ Lieske & Myers,Coral reef fishes,Princeton University Press, 2009, ISBN 9780691089959
-
^ Brulé & Déniel, ‘’ Expose synoptique des données biologiques sur le mérou rouge Epinephelus morio (valenciennes, 1828) du Golfe du Mexique’’, F.A.O., 1994,ISBN 9252034633
-
^ Pears, R.J., J.H. Choat, B.D. Mapstone and G.A. Begg, 2006. Demography of a large grouper, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus, from Australia's Great barrier reef: implications for fishery management. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 307:259-272.
-
^ "Facts about Brown-marbled Grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) - Encyclopedia of Life". Archived from the original on 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2013-06-28.
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- Wikipedia authors and editors
Brown-marbled grouper: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
The brown-marbled grouper or tiger grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) is a benthic marine fish which belongs to the family Serranidae or also known as the groupers.
- license
- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
Description
provided by World Register of Marine Species
Occurs in lagoon pinnacles, channels, and outer reef slopes, in coral-rich areas and with clear waters. Feeds on fishes, crabs, and cephalopods. May be ciguatoxic in some areas (Ref. 1602). Palau fishers increase their dropline and speargun catches through knowledge of reproductive cycle of remochel, one of most important species in the area (Ref. 2928). Cultured under experimental conditions in the Philippines; a candidate for aquaculture in Singapore.
Froese, R. & D. Pauly (Editors). (2023). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. version (02/2023).
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- cc-by-4.0
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- WoRMS Editorial Board
