Epinephelus tauvina, despite its unappetizing English name, is a prime food fish and is the subject of intensive cage culture in some countries; it can be easily distinguished from similar species by its shape, pattern of spotting, and very long maxilla.
Details
§ 01
size
Common to 45 cm; max. 75 cm
color
Brown-grey with many orange brown spots covering body and fins. Dark blotch may be present at base of last dorsal spine.
order
Perciformes
family
Serranidae
habitat and biology
This species is mainly found on coral reefs, ranging from depths of 1 to 50 meters. Young individuals can be seen in tide pools on the reef flat, and they feed mainly on fish.
distinctive characters
This fish has a dorsal fin with 11 spines and 13-16 rays, an anal fin with 3 spines and 8 rays, a pectoral fin with 18-19 rays, a body depth of 3.0-3.6 in standard length, a maxilla that reaches well past the eye, 3 or 4 rows of teeth on the mid-lateral part of the lower jaw, and a rounded caudal fin with cycloid body scales, except for a small patch at the end of the pectoral fin.