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How does it look like?
It is a very robust fish with an elongated body and flattened sides. The lower jaw protrudes slightly. The dorsal fin is spiny and quite robust and the caudal fin, the tail, is straight. Although the coloration may vary depending on the place where we find it, it is usually brown and has very characteristic spots whose color varies between white and yellowish, spread over the body. In fact the spots in juveniles are clearly yellowish, which will fade tending to white, in the adult phase.
The coloration in adults also varies depending on the mood. We speak therefore of normal coloration, with spots radiating around the eyes and other spots spread over the body, especially on the back. If the coloration becomes darker, we speak of dark coloration with three spots. On the dark body of the animal we will see only three light spots, quite visible, under the dorsal fin. There are authors who link this color with aggressiveness, a state of mind that is also linked to what is known as the completely dark coloration, where even the three spots under the dorsal disappear. There is also the light coloration, which would be the one used by young adults when swimming in the open sea. Finally, there is also a coloration with silver spots, clearly visible around the eyes and flanks, with a whitish tail. This one is shown by territorial males in summer, during the breeding season.
Where does it live?
These fish live in rocky bottoms, and we can usually see them near small caves, where they are usually found. Although they can live up to 250 meters, they are usually found between 8 and 25 meters. They are found in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic but not in the Black Sea.
How do they feed?
These animals feed on relatively small fish, crustaceans and cephalopods such as octopuses.
How does it reproduce?
Groupers, like many serranids, are hermaphrodites. This means that they reach sexual maturity at 5 years of age and all become females. If there is no dominant male in the area, the largest female will become a male at 9 to 12 years of age. Fertilization is external and occurs during the courtship display, at dusk in summer. Males with their characteristic reproductive coloration court the females that already have mature eggs in their wombs. It is all about getting one of them to enter his territory and ascend together to the surface. At that moment the female releases a clutch of eggs into the water and at the same time the male releases his sperm. The fertilized eggs are carried away by the current. If the water temperature is high, they reproduce from late spring to late summer.
Is a confusion possible?
It could be confused with the comb grouper or Mycteroperca rubra, although the latter has a much more flattened body and the body is more streamlined, more elongated. The comb grouper also swims more in open water, while Epinephelus marginatus usually stays much closer to the bottom. It can also be confused with the golden grouper Epinephelus costae, although the latter has quite distinct longitudinal stripes and is usually smaller.
Curiosities
· Overfishing has placed this species in the category of "endagered" at the IUCN's red list.
· In protected areas we can find them very close to the surface.
· Groupers can live up to 50 years, reach a weight about 50 kg and a length up to 1.5 meters.
· The grouper's head has almost as many bones as an entire human body.
· It can be found under the name “Epinephelus guaza”, which is not accepted anymore
Taxonomy
Phylum: Chordata, Subphylum: Vertebrata, Infraphylum: Gnathostomata, Class: Actinopterygii, Order: Perciformes, Family: Serranidae, Genus: Epinephelinae |
