Scientific Name
Epinephelus chlorostigma

Common Name
Brownspotted grouper

Biology
Found over a wide range of habitats like seagrass beds and outer reef slopes (Ref. 5213); in the South China Sea, it is also found on mud bottoms. Feeds on small fishes and crustaceans (mainly stomatopods and crabs). Sexual transition from female to male occurs between 35-45 cm, but not all females change sex. Forms spawning aggregations (Ref. 55367). E. chlorostigma is closely related and very similar to E. polylepis and E. gabriellae which seem to replace it in the northwestern Indian Ocean.

Classification

Classified By

Valenciennes, 1828

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets (Serranidae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-Pacific

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea to Natal, South Africa and eastward to the western Pacific, north to southern Japan, south to New Caledonia. Records from Persian Gulf are apparently misidentifications of Epinephelus polylepis. Not verified from the Comoros, continental shelf between Oman and Cambodia, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, and Australia.

Range

37°N - 34°S, 28°E - 169°W

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

4 m

Depth To - meters

300 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 4 - 300 m (Ref. 11888)

Trophic Level

3.99 s.e. 0.67 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

75.0 cm

Common Length

50.0 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

Vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability (38 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.17-0.19; tmax=29)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)