Orange-spotted grouper

The orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides), also known as the brown-spotted rockcod, estuary cod, estuary rockcod, goldspotted rockcod, greasy cod, North-west groper, orange spotted cod or blue-and-yellow grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It has an Indo-Pacific distribution and is found in marine and brackish waters.

Habitat

The orange-spotted grouper occurs in coral reefs, especially those along mainland coasts and large islands. The juveniles are frequently encountered in estuaries where there are sand, mud and gravel substrates and in mangroves. This is a predatory species which preys on fishes, shrimp, crabs and other benthic crustaceans. At night these fish will at least partially bury themselves in the mud. They are diandric protogynous hermaphrodites, some males develop from juveniles to males while others develop from functional females to males when they reach lengths of around 67 centimetres (26 in) and an age of 7.5 years. Off Papua New Guinea they have been reported to gather to spawn in aggregations of around 1,500 individuals and this takes place for 3–4 days each month over a muddy and sandy substrate. In the Persian Gulf there is a spawning season which occurs from March to June. The eggs and larvae are thought to be pelagic.

Distribution

The orange-spotted grouper has an Indo-Pacific distribution. It is found along the eastern coast of Africa which extends from the Gulf of Suez south as far as Durban in South Africa. It is also found off Madagascar, Mauritius, and Réunion and in the Persian Gulf eastward into the Pacific Ocean as far as Palau and Fiji. Its range extends north to Japan and south to Australia. In Australia it occurs from Carnarvon, Western Australia along the tropical northern coasts to the Solitary Islands in New South Wales. It was observed first in the Mediterranean Sea off Israel in 1969 and has been recorded rarely since. This species has been tested in several countries for mariculture, which is a possible vector for its introduction.