Home · Serranidae · Colorado grouper
Colorado grouper (Mycteroperca olfax) — Serranidae

Colorado grouper

Mycteroperca olfax
Family: Serranidae
VU · Vulnerable

The Colorado grouper (Mycteroperca olfax) is a saltwater fish of the family Serranidae that grows up to 120 cm.

Length
120 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
5.0–73.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Highly prized

Description

The sailfin grouper is a large grouper (Serranidae) endemic to the Galapagos Islands and the coast of Ecuador in the eastern Pacific. The species grows to about 120 cm and has a robust, grey-brown body that can change colour and pattern. As a bottom-oriented reef predator it lives around rocky reefs to about seventy metres and hunts fish and crustaceans. It is an important and heavily fished food fish. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Colorado grouper?

The Colorado grouper has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a marbled pattern.

Where does the Colorado grouper live?

The Colorado grouper lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Colorado grouper get?

The Colorado grouper grows to a maximum of about 120 cm.

Is the Colorado grouper dangerous to humans?

No, the Colorado grouper is harmless to humans.

Is the Colorado grouper edible?

Yes, the Colorado grouper is a highly prized food fish.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Galapagos-zeebaars verified
English name
Colorado grouper verified
Scientific name
Mycteroperca olfax
Family
Serranidae
Other names
Mangrove; Sailfin grouper; Sea bass; Yellow grouper verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
120.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Marbled sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
5.0 verified
Max depth (m)
73.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Edibility
Highly prized sourced
Fishing method
Hengelsport sourced
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 Mycteroperca

More from the family Serranidae

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