Darkmargin Grouper, Epinephelus fuscomarginatus Johnson & Worthingon Wilmer 2019

Summary:

A grouper found on deep reefs off Queensland with diffuse irregular brown wavy bars and blotches on the sides, broad dark brown margins on the soft dorsal, anal and caudal fins, and two faint pale brown bars radiating from the eye to the posterior margin of the opercle in subadults. This species lacks dark spots on the head, body and fins at all sizes.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2021, Epinephelus fuscomarginatus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 21 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/5516

Darkmargin Grouper, Epinephelus fuscomarginatus Johnson & Worthingon Wilmer 2019

More Info

Distribution	Endemic to Queensland, from the Capricorn Channel off the southen end of Swains Reefs to and east of the Capricorn-Bunker group.
Features	Dorsal fin XI, 14; Anal fin III, 8; Pectoral fin 17, upper ray unbranched, others including lowermost branched; Pelvic fin I, 5; Caudal fin (principal rays) 17; Lateral-scale series 101–116; Lateral-line scales 60–67; Gill rakers (first arch) 9–10 + 16–19 = 25–28; Vertebrae 24. Body depth 3.0–3.4 in SL, angle of preopercle broadly rounded, bearing 4–9 small non-prominent serrae, midlateral part of lower jaw with 2 rows of teeth, tooth patches on vomer and palatines narrow, in 2–3 and 2–4 rows, respectively; caudal-fin rounded.
Colour	Coloration includes broad dark brown margins to the soft dorsal, anal and caudal fins; no dark spots on the head, body, or fins at any known size; subadults with two faint pale brown bars radiating from the eye to the posterior margin of the opercle; diffuse irregular brown wavy bars and blotches on the sides of the body.
Fisheries	Individuals have been taken on deep water demersal droplines.
Etymology	The specific name fuscomarginatus is from the Latin fusco (= brown) and marginatus (= margin) in reference to the broad dark brown margins on the unpaired fins.
Species Citation	Epinephelus fuscomarginatus Johnson & Worthington Wilmer 2019, Zootaxa 4674(3): 332, Figs. 2-4A. Type locality: Capricorn Channel, south of Swain Reefs, Queensland, Australia, 22°52.8'S, 152°40.8'E, depth 230 m.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2021
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Darkmargin Grouper, Epinephelus fuscomarginatus Johnson & Worthingon Wilmer 2019

References

Johnson, J.W. & Worthington Wilmer, J. 2019. Epinephelus fuscomarginatus (Perciformes: Epinephelidae), a new species of grouper from off the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Zootaxa 4674(3): 329-348. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4674.3.2