Variola louti | fishIDER

Osteichthyes Serranidae Genus Variola Variola louti

Coronation grouper VRL

51.8 cm TL

Characteristic features:

Colour:

Head orange-yellow, densly spotted with red spots, centered with pale blue to pink spots. Body brownish or orange or purplish with numerous irregular, oblique to horizontal broken lines alternating with horizontal rows of pale blue to pinkish spots on body. Caudal fin darker red with a blackish submarginal region, all fins with broad yellow rear margins.

Size:

Up to 81 cm TL.

Important conditions and life stages:

Juveniles with a black band on head and body, and black spot on base of upper caudal-fin rays

Distribution:

Indo–West Pacific in tropical waters.

Habitat:

Coral reefs, from 3 to 240 m depth.

Similar species:

Variola albimarginata
Lyretail grouper

Variola albimarginata differs in having a white margin of caudal fin (vs. yellow).

to Variola albimarginata

Plectropomus spp.

Plectropomus leopardus

Plectropomus spp. differ in having 7–8 dorsal-fin spines (vs. 9); lower edge of preopercle with 1 to 3 enlarged spines (vs. lower edge of preopercle smooth) and caudal fin emarginate to truncate (vs. lunate).

to Plectropomus spp.

Internal links:

Variola louti gallery

External links:

FishBase
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species^TM