Epinephelus polystigma

Osteichthyes Serranidae Genus Epinephelus Epinephelus polystigma

White-dotted grouper

Size unknown. Source: J. Randall. License: Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC 3.0).

Characteristic features:

Colour:

Head, body and fins dark brown, covered in white or pale-yellow dots; soft dorsal, anal, caudal and pectoral fins with narrow orange-red margin.

Size:

Up to 40 cm TL.

Distribution:

Indo-Pacific in tropical waters.

Habitat:

Brackish estuaries, lower reaches of freshwater streams, mangroves and occasionally near coral reefs in waters less than 10 meters depth.

Biology:

Forms large aggregations.

Indonesian fisheries:

Caught with hook-and-line, spears, and traps.

Similar species:

Epinephelus erythrurus
Cloudy grouper

Epinephelus erythrurus differs in having a dark grey colouration with irregular pale spots and blotches randomly joined in a maze-like pattern on head and body appearing drab after death (vs. head, body and fins dark brown with white or pale-yellow dots) and no distinct colour on fin margins (vs. soft dorsal, anal, caudal and pectoral fins with narrow orange rimmed margin).

to Epinephelus erythrurus

Epinephelus coeruleopunctatus
Whitespotted grouper

Epinephelus coeruleopunctatus differs in body deep, its greatest depth, 3.0–3.4 in standard length (vs. body slender, its greatest depth 2.6–3.0 in standard length) and no distinct colour on fin margins (vs. soft dorsal, anal, caudal and pectoral fins with narrow orange rimmed margin).

to Epinephelus coeruleopunctatus

External links:

FishBase
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species^TM