dcsimg

Diagnostic Description

provided by Fishbase
This species is distinguished by the following characters: body depth less than head length, 2.7-3.3 in SL (for specimens 14-31 cm SL); head length 2.4-2.8 in SL; D XI,15-17; pectoral rays 17-19 (usually 17-18); body scales ctenoid, cycloid scales on thorax and ventrally on abdomen; body with auxiliary scales; anal fin of adults rounded to slightly angular, longest soft ray 2.0-2.6 in HL; gill rakers of first gill arch 8-10 + 14-16; pyloric caeca 11-17; preopercle with 2-7 enlarged serrae at the angle; upper edge of operculum straight or slightly convex; midlateral part of lower jaw with 2 rows of teeth; lateral-line scales 49-53; caudal fin slightly convex in juveniles, truncate or slightly emarginate in adults. Colour of head, body, and fins pale, covered with numerous close-set brown, brownish yellow or greenish yellow spots (becoming smaller and increase in number as growth increases), the largest about size of pupil, those on front of head smaller than those on operculum; pectoral fins pale, with small dark spots on the rays; posterior edge of caudal fin with a distinct white margin (Ref. 39231, 90102).
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Recorder
Rodolfo B. Reyes
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Morphology

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Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 17; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 8
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Rodolfo B. Reyes
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Trophic Strategy

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Usually found in seagrass beds or on fine sediment bottoms near rocky reefs, dead coral, or alcyonarians (Ref. 5222), in shallow continental shelf waters (Ref. 27353). Juveniles are common at water depths to 80 m (Ref. 6390). Probably spawn during restricted periods and form aggregations when doing so (Ref. 27352). Eggs and early larvae are probably pelagic (Ref. 6390). Feed on fish and benthic invertebrates, primarily prawns and crabs (Ref. 4787, 27354). Feed in water to more than 100 m depth (Ref. 27354). Probably make frequent use of shelters, suggesting an 'ambush' method of feeding (Ref. 6390).
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Susan M. Luna
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Biology

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Usually found in seagrass beds or on fine sediment bottoms near rocky reefs, dead coral, or alcyonarians (Ref. 5222), in shallow continental shelf waters (Ref. 27353). Juveniles are common at water depths to 80 m (Ref. 6390). Probably spawn during restricted periods and form aggregations when doing so (Ref. 27352). Eggs and early larvae are probably pelagic (Ref. 6390). Feed on fish and benthic invertebrates, primarily prawns and crabs (Ref. 4787, 27354). Caught with hook-and-line, traps, and trawls; common in the markets of Hong Kong, Singapore and probably throughout its range (Ref. 39231).
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Recorder
Crispina B. Binohlan
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Importance

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fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial
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Crispina B. Binohlan
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分布

provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
分布於印度-西太平洋區,西起紅海、南非,東至斐濟,北至日本,南至阿拉夫拉海及澳洲北部等。台灣各地有產,尤於澎湖及南部海域最多。
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臺灣魚類資料庫
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利用

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常見之食用魚,經濟價值高,全世界年產量可達1,000公噸以上。一般漁法以延繩釣、漁籠、一支釣、魚槍等捕獲,已可人工箱網養殖。清蒸或煮湯皆宜。
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描述

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體長橢圓形;頭中大,標準體長為體高之2.8-3.3倍。頭背部斜直;眶間區窄,中央微突。眼較小,短於吻長。口大;上下頜前端各有2小圓錐狀齒;上頜外列齒較大,內列齒絨毛狀;下頜齒2列,排列疏鬆;腭骨和鋤骨均具齒。鰓耙數8-10+14-16。前鰓蓋骨後角具2-7個鋸齒,下緣光滑。鰓蓋骨後緣具3扁棘。體被細小櫛鱗;側線鱗孔數49-53;縱列鱗數97-116。背鰭鰭棘部與軟條部相連,無缺刻,具硬棘XI,軟條15-17;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;尾鰭截形。頭部、體側及各鰭色淡,散佈著褐色、黃褐色或黃色之斑點,最大斑點約等於瞳孔大小。胸鰭色淡,具暗色班點;尾鰭具白緣
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棲地

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主要棲息於水深6-200公尺處,包括礁石區、礁砂區、海藻區或淺大陸棚區之海域。以魚類及底棲無脊椎動物為食。
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Areolate grouper

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The areolate grouper (Epinephelus areolatus), also known as the yellowspotted rockcod, areolate rockcod, green-spotted rock-cod, squaretail grouper or squaretail rock-cod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It inhabits coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region. They are produced through aquaculture and commercially fished. They currently face no threats to their survival.[1]

Description

The areolate grouper is a large fish (up to 47 cm long, 1.4 kg[3]) that lives near coral reefs. Its coloration is whitish to gray with rounded brownish spots; it is particularly identifiable by a narrow, white, straight margin on its truncate tail.[4] It has 11 dorsal spines, 15-17 dorsal soft rays, 3 anal spines and 8 anal soft rays.

It is often confused with the brownspotted grouper (Epinephelus chlorostigma) found in the Persian Gulf[2] and several other many-spotted species.[4]

Distribution

Year Farmed production Capture production Metric tons (Saudi Arabia 1993 512 in the Indian Ocean) 1994 508 1995 502 1996 750 1997 474 1998 180 1999 110 2000 104 306 2001 239 245 2002 157 289 2003 155 309 2004 155 349

The areolate grouper is found in the tropical region ranging from 35°N - 33°S, 29°E - 180°E.[5] They are found in the Indo-Pacific region from the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf to Natal, South Africa and east to Fiji, north to Japan, south to the Arafura Sea and northern Australia. It was recently recorded to have been observed in Tonga, but appears to be absent from areas in the western Indian Ocean.[2] Recently (2015) a single specimen was reported from the Mediterranean Sea, off Israel.[6][7]

This grouper is usually found in seagrass beds or on fine sediment bottoms near rocky reefs, dead coral, or alcyonarian corals.[5] in shallow continental shelf waters. Juveniles are common at water depths to 80 m (260 ft); eggs and early larvae are probably pelagic.

Reproduction and feeding

Like other groupers, the areolate grouper is a sex-changing species; young are female, and some change to male with maturity. Maturity is reached at a fork length of 22 cm (8.7 in), and spawning usually occurs during the months of May, June, October and December.[8]

After hatching, wild grouper larvae eat copepods and other small zooplankton.[9] Areolate grouper feed on fish and benthic (bottom-dwelling) invertebrates, primarily prawns and crabs.[2]

Commercial production

The areolate grouper is one of about 16 species of groupers commonly raised using aquaculture.[9] Floating net cages, the primary culture method, are supported by a floating frame of plastic pipe, wood, or other material, and usually are anchored to the sea floor. This method is simple, has low capital investment, and uses existing bodies of water, so production can be easily increased or decreased. Disadvantages compared to pond culture include vulnerability to external water quality problems and predators. Also, no control over water temperature, which is known to strongly affect growth rates, is possible.[10]

Grouper consistently demands a high market price, so fishing pressure is intense. To alleviate the pressure on wild grouper stocks, many nations have promoted aquaculture in the hopes of producing a more sustainable grouper yield. Hong Kong is the primary producer of areolate grouper raised by aquaculture, and about 155 metric tons were produced in 2004.[11] Full-cycle culture of most grouper species, including the areolate grouper, is not yet possible, although several important advances have been made in recent years. For this reason, about two-thirds of all grouper culture, including culture of E. areolatus, involves the capture of wild grouper eggs which are then grown out in aquaculture. This is called capture-based aquaculture (CBA). The wild eggs are gathered by a variety of artisanal methods, and because success is not predictable, the production varies as well.[9]

Commercial fishing for areolate grouper done with long lines and hand lines. While its popularity for food has led to some species being threatened, currently no threat to the survival of E. areolatus exists.[1] The table at right shows the amount of areolate grouper produced by farming between 1992 and 2004 and the amount produced by capture in Saudi Arabia (Indian Ocean) between 1996 and 2004, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c Nair, R.; To, A. (2018). "Epinephelus areolatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T132774A46629518. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T132774A46629518.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Epinephelus areolatus" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
  3. ^ Moran, M, Jenke J, Burton C, and Clarke D. 1988 The Western Australian trap and line fishery on the Northwest Shelf. Western Australian Marine Research Laboratories. FIRTA Project 86/28, Final Report. 79 p.
  4. ^ a b Ferrari A and Ferrari A. Diver’s Guide to Reef Life. Nautilus Publishing Sdn. Bhd, Malaysia, 2007. ISBN 983-2731-01-1, p. 149
  5. ^ a b Heemstra, P.C. & 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 (PDF). FAO Fish. Synopsis. Vol. 125. FAO, Rome. pp. 110–111. ISBN 92-5-103125-8.
  6. ^ Shevy Bat-Sheva Rothman; Nir Stern; Menachem Goren (2016). "First record of the Indo-Pacific areolate grouper Epinephelus areolatus (Forsskål, 1775) (Perciformes: Epinephelidae) in the Mediterranean Sea". Zootaxa. 4067 (3): 479–483. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4067.4.7. PMID 27395890.
  7. ^ Atlas of Exotic Fishes in the Mediterranean Sea (Epinephelus areolatus). 2nd Edition. 2021. 366p. CIESM Publishers, Paris, Monaco.https://ciesm.org/atlas/fishes_2nd_edition/Epinephelus_areolatus.pdf
  8. ^ Pakoa, K. Vital statistics of marine fishes of Vanuatu. FishByte July–September, 1998 read online
  9. ^ a b c Tupper, M.; Sheriff, N. 2008. Capture-based aquaculture of groupers. In A. Lovatelli and P.F. Holthus (eds). Capture-based aquaculture. Global overview. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper. No. 508. Rome, FAO. pp. 217–253.
  10. ^ Australia Department of Primary Industries page on cage aquaculture
  11. ^ Pillay, TVR, Kutty MN. Aquaculture: principles and practices. Wiley-Blackwell 2005, ISBN 1-4051-0532-1 p. 50
  12. ^ Halwart M, Soto D, Arthur JR. Cage Aquaculture: regional reviews and global overview. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2007. ISBN 92-5-105801-6 p. 31; FAO Yearbook 2004: fishery statistics: capture production, Volume 98. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2006. ISBN 92-5-005515-3 pp. 155,459

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Areolate grouper: Brief Summary

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The areolate grouper (Epinephelus areolatus), also known as the yellowspotted rockcod, areolate rockcod, green-spotted rock-cod, squaretail grouper or squaretail rock-cod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It inhabits coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region. They are produced through aquaculture and commercially fished. They currently face no threats to their survival.

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Description

provided by World Register of Marine Species
Usually found in seagrass beds or on fine sediment bottoms near rocky reefs, dead coral, or alcyonarians. At New Caledonia, the species was reported to feed on penaeid prawns.

Reference

Froese, R. & D. Pauly (Editors). (2023). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. version (02/2023).

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