Epinephelus polyphekadion can be easily confused with E. fuscoguttatus, but can be distinguished by its lower gillraker and pectoral ray counts. It was previously recorded as E. microdon in the Catalogue of Fishes of the Maldives, Vol. 2, page 302.
Details
§ 01
size
Common to 40 cm; max. 75 cm
color
Mottled brown, covered with small dark spots. Head and body with fairly distinct dark blotches, blotch on top of caudal peduncle brownish-black and conspicuous.
This species is found in transparent waters on coral reefs, both in lagoons and on outer reefs down to depths of 50 meters. Its diet consists mainly of benthic crustaceans such as crabs, but it also feeds on fish, squid, and snails.
distinctive characters
The fish has a dorsal fin with 11 spines and 14-15 rays, an anal fin with 3 spines and 8 rays, and a pectoral fin with 18-19 rays. Its body depth is 2.7-3.1 in standard length, and its dorsal head profile is smoothly convex. The inter-orbital area is flat, the mid-lateral body scales are mostly ctenoid and not covered by skin, the rear nostril diameter is about twice the diameter of the front nostrils, and the caudal fin is rounded.