Blacktip grouper

Blacktip grouper
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Serranidae
Genus: Epinephelus
Species: E. fasciatus
Binomial name
Epinephelus fasciatus
Forsskål, 1775

The blacktip grouper or redbanded grouper, Epinephelus fasciatus, is a species of marine fish in the family Serranidae.[2]

Distribution

The blacktip grouper is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific area from the Red Sea to South Africa, as far north as Korea, and in the waters around Australia to Pitcairn Islands.[3] It is also commonly found around the Mascarene_Islands and is a prized commercial fish in Mauritius.

Description

The blacktip grouper grows up to 40 cm in length and may weigh up to 2 kg, but its common size is average 22 cm.[3] The tips of the spines of the dorsal fin are black, and it may have a dark red cap above the eyes.[4][5] A variant occurs with a uniformly pale body except for the front part.[6]

It feeds on crustaceans and smaller fishes by ambushing them.[3][5] It is found associated with coral reefs from 4 m deep (more commonly from 15 m) up to 160 m, in both marine and brackish water, sometimes in groups of 10-15 individuals.[3][5] Juveniles may find shelter in mangrove swamps.[6]

Blacktip groupers of the Red Sea are fished by the Bedouin.[6] It has also been associated with ciguatera poisoning.[3]

Epinephelus fasciatus in the Tokyo Sky Tree Aquarium




Parasites

Philometra fasciati (Nematoda, Philometridae), a parasite of the ovary of the blacktip grouper

Blacktip groupers are host of several parasites, including Pseudorhabdosynochus spp. (diplectanid Monogeneans) on the gills.[7] The philometrid nematode Philometra fasciati is parasitic in the ovary of female fish;[8] the adult female parasite is a red worm which can reach up to 40 centimetres in length, for a diameter of only 1.6 millimetre; the males are tiny.

Taxonomic synonyms

  • Cerna alexandrina (Valenciennes, 1828)
  • Cerna chrysotaenia (non Doderlein, 1882)
  • Epinephalus alexandrinus (Valenciennes, 1828)
  • Epinephalus fasciatus (Forsskal, 1775)
  • Epinephelus alexandrinus (Valenciennes, 1828)
  • Epinephelus emoryi Schultz, 1953
  • Epinephelus goreensis (non Valenciennes, 1830)
  • Epinephelus spiramen (non Whitley, 1945)
  • Epinephelus tsirimenara (Temminck & Schlegeli, 1842)
  • Epinephelus variolosus (Valenciennes, 1828)
  • Epinephelus zapyrus Seale, 1906
  • Epinephelus zaslavskii (non Poll, 1949)
  • Holocentrus erythraceus Bloch & Schneider, 1901
  • Holocentrus forskael Lacepede, 1802
  • Holocentrus marinatus Lacepede, 1802
  • Holocentrus oceanicus Lacepede, 1802
  • Holocentrus rosmarus Lacepede, 1802
  • Perca fasciata Forsskal, 1775
  • Perca maculata Forster, 1844
  • Plectropoma fasciata (Forsskal, 1775)
  • Serranus alexandrinus (Valenciennes, 1828)
  • Serranus cruentatus De Vis, 1884
  • Serranus fasciatus (Forsskal, 1775)
  • Serranus geometricus De Vis, 1844
  • Serranus marginalis (Bloch, 1793)
  • Serranus oceanicus (Lacepede, 1802)
  • Serranus subfasciatus De Vis, 1884
  • Serranus tsirimenara Temminck & Schlegeli, 1842
  • Serranus variolosus Valenciennes, 1828


References

  1. ↑ Fennessy, S., Kulbicki, M., Cabanban, A.S., Myers, R. & Choat, J.H. 2008. Epinephelus fasciatus. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 18 October 2013.
  2. ↑ http://www.fishbase.org/comnames/CommonNamesList.php?ID=5348&GenusName=Epinephelus&SpeciesName=fasciatus&StockCode=5587
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2007). "Epinephelus fasciatus" in FishBase. 5 2007 version.
  4. ↑ http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/132817/0
  5. 1 2 3 Lieske, E. and Myers, R.F. (2004) Coral reef guide; Red Sea London, HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-715986-2
  6. 1 2 3 Siliotti, A. (2002) fishes of the red sea Verona, Geodia ISBN 88-87177-42-2
  7. ↑ Justine, Jean-Lou (2005). "Species of Pseudorhabdosynochus Yamaguti, 1958 (Monogenea: Diplectanidae) from Epinephelus fasciatus and E. merra (Perciformes: Serranidae) off New Caledonia and other parts of the Indo-Pacific Ocean, with a comparison of measurements of specimens prepared using different methods, and a description of P. caledonicus n. sp.". Systematic Parasitology. 62 (1): 1–37. doi:10.1007/s11230-005-5480-0. ISSN 0165-5752. PMID 16132868.
  8. ↑ Moravec, František; Justine, Jean-Lou (2014). "Philometrids (Nematoda: Philometridae) in carangid and serranid fishes off New Caledonia, including three new species". Parasite. 21: 21. doi:10.1051/parasite/2014022. ISSN 1776-1042. PMC 4023622Freely accessible. PMID 24836940.

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