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Banded grouper (Epinephelus latifasciatus) — Serranidae

Banded grouper

Epinephelus latifasciatus
Family: Serranidae
LC · Least Concern

The Banded grouper (Epinephelus latifasciatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Serranidae that grows up to 137 cm.

Length
137 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
20.0–240.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Indo-West Pacific
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The banded grouper is a large grouper from the Indo-West Pacific, from East Africa to Japan. The species grows to about 137 cm and has a greyish body; juveniles bear two broad dark longitudinal bands that fade in adults. As a bottom-dweller it lives on sandy and muddy bottoms and hunts fish and crustaceans. Like other groupers it is a protogynous hermaphrodite. It is a valued food fish and is assessed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Banded grouper?

The Banded grouper has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a horizontal stripes pattern. Juveniles with two broad bands; protogynous hermaphrodite

Where does the Banded grouper live?

The Banded grouper lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Indo-West Pacific

How big does the Banded grouper get?

The Banded grouper grows to a maximum of about 137 cm. On average the species is around 70 cm.

Is the Banded grouper dangerous to humans?

No, the Banded grouper is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Banded grouper edible?

Yes, the Banded grouper is commonly eaten.

More photos

Banded grouper (Epinephelus latifasciatus) — Serranidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Venkatesh Saroj, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Banded grouper (Epinephelus latifasciatus) — Serranidae — 3
Wikimedia Commons — George Henry Ford (Public domain)
Banded grouper (Epinephelus latifasciatus) — Serranidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Sunilkumar Gupta, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Banded grouper (Epinephelus latifasciatus) — Serranidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Vin Rushworth, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Banded grouper verified
Scientific name
Epinephelus latifasciatus
Family
Serranidae
Other names
Banded grouper; Coral cod; Grouper; Striped grouper; Laterally-banded grouper; Reef cod; Seabass; Sea perch; Spotfin rockcod; Spotty-finned rock-cod verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
137.0 verified
Average length (cm)
70.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey inferred
Pattern
Horizontal stripes sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
20.0 verified
Max depth (m)
240.0 verified
Natural range
Indo-West Pacific verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Fishes and crustaceans inferred
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
Yes sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes sourced
Seasonality
Bottom-dwelling grouper; protogynous hermaphrodite. sourced
Special features
Juveniles with two broad bands; protogynous hermaphrodite sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bottom fishing with bait sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Epinephelus

More from the family Serranidae

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