Flowery Rockcod, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (Forsskål 1775)

Other Names: Black Rock-cod, Brownmarbled Grouper, Brown-marbled Grouper, Carpet Cod, Flower Cod, Flower-cod, Flowery Cod

A Flowery Rockcod, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus, on the Ribbon Reefs, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, July 1999. Source: Erik Schlogl / iNaturalist.org. License: CC By Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:

A large pale yellowish-brown grouper covered in small close-set brown spots, five vertical series of irregular dark brown blotches, and a small black saddle on top of the caudal peduncle.

Grey reef Sharks attacking spawning Flowery Grouper (aka Marbled Grouper) in French Polynesia.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2018, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 25 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/4670

Flowery Rockcod, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (Forsskål 1775)

More Info

Distribution	Kendrew Island, Western Australia, to One Tree Island, Queensland, including Hibernia Reef in the Timor Sea; also Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean, and the Lord Howe Island region in the Tasman Sea. Elsewhere the species occurs in the Indo-west-central Pacific. Inhabits lagoon pinnacles, channels, and outer reef slopes in clear coral-rich areas. Juveniles occur in seagrass beds.
Features	Dorsal fin XI, 14-15; Anal fin III, 8. Body moderately deep, greatest depth 2.6-2.9 in SL; head length 2.3-2.5 times in SL; interorbital flat or slightly concave; dorsal head profile of adults indented at eyes and distinctly convex from there to origin of dorsal fin; preopercle rounded, finely serrate; upper edge of operculum distinctly convex, descending almost vertically to rear end of operculum; anterior edge of preorbital bone deeply indented below nostrils; posterior nostrils triangular, 4-7 times larger than anterior nostrils in adults; maxilla extending well posterior to eye' Lower jaw with 3-4 rows of teeth on midlateral part, inner teeth twice as long as outer teeth; canines inconspicuous. Scales in adults mostly cycloid, ctenoid in juveniles; body with auxiliary scales.
Colour	Body pale yellowish-brown with five vertical series of irregular dark brown blotches; head, body and fins with numerous close-set, small brown spots; caudal peduncle with small black saddle dorsally. Small juveniles (<8 cm) have small hexagonal spots on the head and body that becoming larger posteriorly and on vertical fins.
Biology	Forms spawning aggregations.
Fisheries	The species is heavily fished in parts of its range.
Species Citation	Perca summana fuscoguttata Forsskål 1775, Descriptiones Animalium: 42. Type locality: Jeddah, Red Sea.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2018
Resources	Australian Faunal Directory

Flowery Rockcod, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (Forsskål 1775)

References

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