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Calico grouper (Epinephelus drummondhayi) — Serranidae

Calico grouper

Epinephelus drummondhayi
Family: Serranidae
VU · Vulnerable

The Calico grouper (Epinephelus drummondhayi) is a saltwater fish of the family Serranidae that grows up to 110 cm.

Length
110 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
25.0–183.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Highly prized

Description

The speckled hind is a large grouper from the western Atlantic, ranging from Bermuda and the east coast of the United States to the northern and eastern Gulf of Mexico. It grows to about 110 cm, can weigh thirty kilograms and live up to 45 years. The reddish-brown body is covered with numerous small white spots, from which it takes its name. It lives over offshore rocky bottoms between about 25 and 180 metres depth and hunts fish and crustaceans. Like most groupers the species is a protogynous hermaphrodite. Because of overfishing and its slow reproduction it is listed as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Calico grouper?

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

Where does the Calico grouper live?

The Calico grouper lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Calico grouper get?

The Calico grouper grows to a maximum of about 110 cm.

Is the Calico grouper dangerous to humans?

No, the Calico grouper is harmless to humans.

Is the Calico grouper edible?

Yes, the Calico grouper is a highly prized food fish.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Gevlekte tandbaars verified
English name
Calico grouper verified
Scientific name
Epinephelus drummondhayi
Family
Serranidae
Other names
Hind; Kitty Mitchell; Speckled hind verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
110.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Rounded 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)
25.0 verified
Max depth (m)
183.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
Yes inferred
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
levensduur_max_jaar
45.0 verified

For anglers

Edibility
Highly prized sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met aasvis op offshore rotsbodems. sourced
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 Epinephelus

More from the family Serranidae

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