Greasy grouper
Encyclopedia
Also known as the Arabian Grouper. Its common Arabic name is Hamoor (هامور).
. Five vertical darker shaded bars may also be present on the body.
Similar species: Epinephelus corallicola and Epinephelus howlandi have shorter bodies and spots less closely spaced.
to South Africa
, as far north as Japan
, and in the waters around Australia
.
s from 1-300m deep, where it feeds on smaller fish.
Description
The Greasy grouper grows up to 75cm in length. Its head and body are pale greenish grey or brown with round spots, varying from orange-red to dark brown. A group of black spots may be visible on the body at the base of the rear of the dorsal finDorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
. Five vertical darker shaded bars may also be present on the body.
Similar species: Epinephelus corallicola and Epinephelus howlandi have shorter bodies and spots less closely spaced.
Distribution
Widely distributed; from the Red SeaRed Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, as far north as Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and in the waters around Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Habitat
It is found in clear water areas associated with coral reefCoral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
s from 1-300m deep, where it feeds on smaller fish.