Epinephelus quoyanus

Characteristic features:

Colour:

Head and body pale with large, close-set hexagonal to roundish, dark brown to reddish-brown or black spots, pale interspaces froming a reticulum; dark-brown bands on breast instead of spots, and outer margin of anal fin dark.

Size:

Up to 38 cm TL.

Distribution:

West Pacific in tropical waters.

Habitat:

Silty reefs, from the surface to 50 m depth.

Indonesian fisheries:

Usually caught with gill nets and handlines.

Similar species:

Epinephelus faveatus
Indian grouper

Epinephelus faveatus differs in having pectoral fins smaller, 1.7–2.2 times in head length (vs. larger, 1.2–1.7 times in head length).

to Epinephelus faveatus

Epinephelus hexagonatus
Starspotted grouper

Epinephelus hexagonatus differs in having brownish polygonal spots that merge to leave conspicuous white triangular dots between corners of polygons (vs. brownish close-set polygonal to round spots that do not merge, becoming diffuse ventrally) and no dark bands on chest (vs. 2 oblique bands on sides of chest).

to Epinephelus hexagonatus

Epinephelus macrospilos
Snubnose grouper

Epinephelus macrospilos differs in having short pectoral fins, 1.5–2.0 in head length (vs. large, 1.2–1.7 times in head length) and no dark bands on sides of chest (vs. 2 oblique bands on sides of chest).

to Epinephelus macrospilos

Epinephelus melanostigma
Blackspot grouper

Epinephelus melanostigma differs in having a large, single black blotch at mid dorsal fin, covering the base of 3 dorsal-fin spines and extending onto body (vs. no distinct large black blotch along dorsal fin, only polygonal spots the same size as other spots) and no dark bands on chest (vs. 2 oblique bands on sides of chest).

to Epinephelus melanostigma

Epinephelus merra
Honeycomb grouper

Epinephelus merra differs in having a dorsal fin with 15–17 soft rays (vs. 16–18) and no dark bands on chest (vs. 2 oblique bands on sides of chest).

to Epinephelus merra

Epinephelus spilotoceps
Foursaddle grouper

Epinephelus spilotoceps differs in having small black spots, the size of nostril, on the snout (vs. black spots larger than nostril, on snout).

to Epinephelus spilotoceps

FishBase
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species^TM