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Leopard cod (Cephalopholis leopardus) — Serranidae

Leopard cod

Cephalopholis leopardus
Family: Serranidae
LC · Least Concern

The Leopard cod (Cephalopholis leopardus) is a saltwater fish of the family Serranidae that grows up to 24 cm.

Length
24 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–40.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The leopard hind is a small grouper (Epinephelidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species has a red-brown body with numerous small dark and orange spots and a few dark saddle blotches on the back. It lives solitarily in coral-rich parts of lagoon pinnacles, channels and outer reef slopes. As an ambush hunter it takes small fishes and crustaceans. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Leopard cod?

The Leopard cod has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly red-orange and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Leopard cod live?

The Leopard cod lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Leopard cod get?

The Leopard cod grows to a maximum of about 24 cm.

Is the Leopard cod dangerous to humans?

No, the Leopard cod is harmless to humans.

Is the Leopard cod edible?

Yes, the Leopard cod is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Luipaard-juweelbaars sourced
English name
Leopard cod verified
Scientific name
Cephalopholis leopardus
Family
Serranidae
Other names
Leopard cod; Leopard coralcod; Leopard grouper; Leopard hind verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
24.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange inferred
Pattern
Spots inferred
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
40.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Cephalopholis

More from the family Serranidae

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