- Entirely covered with a network of round, brownish close-set spots of unequal size that do not merge
- 2 oblique dark bands on sides of chest
- Dorsal fin with 11 spines and 16–18 soft rays
- 48–52 lateral-line scales
- Caudal fin rounded
Head and body pale, entirely covered with a network of close-set brownish spots of unequal size; pale interspaces forming a reticulum; 2 oblique dark bands on sides of chest; most fins yellowish between spots.
Up to 32 cm TL.
Indian Ocean in tropical waters.
Coral and rocky reefs, from 1 to 30 meters depth.
Caught with hook-and-line, gill nets, lift nets, traps, and spear.
Epinephelus hexagonatus
Starspotted grouper
Epinephelus hexagonatus differ in having head and body with brownish polygonal spots that merge to leave white triangular dots between corners of polygons (vs. round, brownish close-set spots that do not merge) and no dark bands on chest (vs. 2 oblique bands on sides of chest).
Epinephelus macrospilos
Snubnose grouper
Epinephelus macrospilos differs in having 15–17 dorsal-fin rays (vs. 16–18); chest and pectoral-fin base with dark spots (vs. 2 oblique bands on sides of chest) and rear half of pectoral fins dark (vs. pale).
Epinephelus melanostigma
Blackspot grouper
Epinephelus melanostigma differs in having a large, single black blotch half way along dorsal fin, covering the base of 3 dorsal-fin spines and extending onto body (vs. 4 groups of 2 or 3 spots along dorsal-fin base darker than others) and no dark bands on chest (vs. 2 oblique bands on sides of chest).
Epinephelus merra
Honeycomb grouper
Epinephelus merra differs in having spots on pectoral fin distinctly smaller than spots on body (vs. spots almost subequal) and no dark bands on chest (vs. 2 oblique bands on sides of chest).
Epinephelus quoyanus
Longfin grouper
Epinephelus quoyanus differs in having pectoral fins larger, 1.2–1.7 times in head length (vs. smaller, 1.7–2.2 times in head length).
Epinephelus spilotoceps
Foursaddle grouper
Epinephelus spilotoceps differs in having no dark bands on chest (vs. 2 oblique bands on sides of chest).