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Blue-lined hind (Cephalopholis polleni) — Serranidae

Blue-lined hind

Cephalopholis polleni
Family: Serranidae

The Blue-lined hind (Cephalopholis polleni) is a saltwater fish of the family Serranidae that grows up to 43 cm.

Length
43 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
10.0–120.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Australia, Sri Lanka, Christmas I., Cocos Is. (Keel), Comoros, Mayotte and others
Edibility
Rarely eaten

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Description

The Blue-lined hind is a grouper (Serranidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 43 cm. The yellow body bears numerous blue longitudinal lines. As a bottom-oriented ambush predator it shelters in crevices and caves of coral and rocky reefs and seizes small fish and crustaceans. Many groupers change sex. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Blue-lined hind?

The Blue-lined hind has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly yellow-gold.

Where does the Blue-lined hind live?

The Blue-lined hind lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Asia: Australia, Sri Lanka, Christmas I., Cocos Is. (Keel), Comoros, Mayotte and others

How big does the Blue-lined hind get?

The Blue-lined hind grows to a maximum of about 43 cm.

Is the Blue-lined hind dangerous to humans?

No, the Blue-lined hind 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 Blue-lined hind edible?

The Blue-lined hind is rarely eaten.

More photos

Blue-lined hind (Cephalopholis polleni) — Serranidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Sylvain Le Bris, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Blue-lined hind (Cephalopholis polleni) — Serranidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) David R, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Blue-lined hind (Cephalopholis polleni) — Serranidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Gina, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Blue-lined hind (Cephalopholis polleni) — Serranidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Bryan J, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Blue-lined hind sourced
Scientific name
Cephalopholis polleni
Family
Serranidae
Other names
Harlequin cod; Harlequin grouper; Harlequin hind; Blue-lined grouper; Harlequin rockcod verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
43.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
10.0 verified
Max depth (m)
120.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: Australia, Sri Lanka, Christmas I., Cocos Is. (Keel), Comoros, Mayotte and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten inferred
Fishing method
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
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 Cephalopholis

More from the family Serranidae

Fin

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