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Grouper (Epinephelus aeneus) — Serranidae

Grouper

Epinephelus aeneus
Family: Serranidae
NT · Near Threatened

The Grouper (Epinephelus aeneus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Serranidae that grows up to 120 cm.

Length
120 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
20.0–200.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Highly prized

Description

The white grouper is a large, robust grouper of the family Epinephelidae reaching about 120 cm. The body is greyish with a silvery sheen, and juveniles show oblique pale stripes on the head. The mouth is large, with the upper jaw reaching behind the eye. The species is a protogynous hermaphrodite, females later turning into males. It lives sedentarily on rock and mud-sand bottoms of the eastern Atlantic and southern Mediterranean, hunting mainly fish supplemented with crustaceans and cephalopods. Fishing pressure has left it assessed as Near Threatened, and it remains a highly valued food fish across its range.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Grouper?

The Grouper has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Grouper live?

The Grouper lives in brackish water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Grouper get?

The Grouper grows to a maximum of about 120 cm. On average the species is around 60 cm.

Is the Grouper dangerous to humans?

No, the Grouper is harmless to humans.

Is the Grouper edible?

Yes, the Grouper is a highly prized food fish.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Witte tandbaars verified
English name
Grouper verified
Scientific name
Epinephelus aeneus
Family
Serranidae
Other names
White grouper verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
120.0 verified
Average length (cm)
60.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Rounded sourced
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No verified
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes verified

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
20.0 verified
Max depth (m)
200.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore verified
Social behaviour
Solitary verified
Territorial
Yes verified
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) verified
Sexual dimorphism
No verified
levensduur_max_jaar
17 verified

For anglers

Edibility
Highly prized verified
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Epinephelus

More from the family Serranidae

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