Scientific Name
Epinephelus aeneus

Common Name
White grouper

Biology
Adults are found on rocky or mud-sand bottom; juveniles have been taken in coastal lagoons and estuaries. In the west African waters, diet comprise of fishes (58%), stomatopods (21%), crabs (10%), and cephalopods (10%). It is a protogynous hermaphrodite. The seasonal migration of the species off the coast of Senegal is influenced by the seasonal upwelling off Senegal and Mauritania. Utilized fresh and smoked (Ref. 9987). Highly esteemed in the market of West Africa (Ref. 5377).

Classification

Classified By

Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets (Serranidae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Atlantic

Distribution

Eastern Atlantic: along the west coast of Africa to southern Angola, including the southern Mediterranean. Records from the Canary Islands and Cape Verde are unsubstantiated.

Range

39°N - 16°S, 17°W - 60°E

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

20 m

Depth To - meters

200 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; brackish; demersal; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 20 - 200 m (Ref. 3589)

Trophic Level

4.02 s.e. 0.59 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

120 cm

Common Length

60.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: experimental; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (52 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.15-0.25; tm=5-7; tmax=17; Fec>1 million)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Near Threatened (NT) , IUCN Grouper and Wrasse Specialist Group