Epinephelus caninus
| Scientific name | Epinephelus caninus |
|---|---|
| Descriptor | Valenciennes |
| Year of description | 1843 |
| IUCN category (World) | DD |
| Family | Serranidae |
| Genus | Epinephelus |
Introduction
Epinephelus caninus is a salt water fish.
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Who is it?
Genus Epinephelus
In 2019, the genus Epinephelus comprised 87 species according to FishBase. These fish are commonly known as "groupers" and belong to the "serranid group" (Serranidae).
They are territorial carnivores with elongated and robust bodies. They have imposing heads with canines in the front of their jaws and protractile mouths. All species possess 10 or 11 dorsal spines.
Most species are found in coral reefs or rocky areas, with some exceptions (such as E. aeneus, E. bruneus, or E. areolatus) living in sandy, muddy, or silty bottoms. Adults are typically observed at depths ranging from 10 to 200 meters. Most Epinephelus are recognized as protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning they are born as females and become males as they grow. However, not all females may change sex, and some males may not go through this commonly accepted stage.
These fish are highly valued commercially for consumption and recreational fishing, but they are vulnerable to overfishing due to their slow growth, late maturity, and the formation of reproductive aggregations. Overfishing, particularly targeting mature individuals, can lead to sex-ratio imbalances and affect reproduction. Several groupers are now the subject of aquaculture farms (especially E. coioides and E. malabaricus).
According to the IUCN, overfishing and pollution have already caused a significant decline in the populations of many groupers, and several species are endangered.
Morphology
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Average size100 cm
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Maximum size164 cm
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Longevity60 year
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Patternvertical stripes
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Average size100 cm
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Maximum size164 cm
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Longevity60 year
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Patternvertical stripes
How to recognize Epinephelus caninus ?
Epinephelus caninus measures around 100 cm. The dominant males can however reach 164 cm. This fish is bicolore with a predominantly marron and gris body. The also has marron vertical stripes.
Sexual dimorphism
The adult male is bigger than the female.
Behaviour & Life cycle
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dietcarnivorous
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Sociabilitysolitary
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territorialYes
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Way of livingdiurnal
Epinephelus caninus hunts in the stalk and is one of the predators of its biotope. Opportunistic, it does not hesitate to attack any smaller animal nearby.
Epinephelus caninus is a fish solitary naturally found at mid-depth and near the bottom. This species is carnivorous .
This species is territorial and does not appreciate the presence of intruders nearby, especially animals with similar behavior. It can also be virulent toward conspecifics. However, Epinephelus caninus is generally peaceful with non-territorial animals that cannot be potential prey.
Reproduction
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Reproductionovipare
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Hermaphroditeprotogynous
Epinephelus caninus is a fish ovipare. always born female. Growing up, individuals will change sex to become male, this is called successive hermaphroditism of the protogynous type.
Harmless species
This species does not represent any particular threats to humans when encountered in its natural environment.
Where to find it?
Conservation status of populations (IUCN)
What is its habitat?
Natural environment characteristics
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Temperature12 - 17 °C
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Depth30 - 400 m
Biotope presentation
Epinephelus caninus is most often found at a depth between 30m and 400m. However, it is not impossible to find this species at other depths.
To go further
Sources & Contributions
Participation & Validation
The Fishipedia team and specialist contributors are committed to providing high-quality content. However, although the information comes from scientific sources or testimonials from specialists, the cards may contain inaccuracies.
Adrien Falzon
Translation
Translation done with the valuable contribution of our translators, who make this information available to a wider audience. We sincerely thank them for their commitment.
Bibliographic references
A review: Adriatic groupers – Status of natural populations and breeding perspectives - Branko GLAMUZINA - Boško SKARAMUCA - ACTA ADRIATICA - 1999.
Classification of Serranidae Species Using Color Based Statistical Features - Bilal İşçimen - Yakup Kutlu - Cemal Turan - Natural and Engineering Sciences - 2017.
THE DECLINE OF TOP PREDATORS IN DEEP CORAL REEFS - Simonepietro CANESE - BAVA S - Institute of the republic of Slovenia for nature and conservation - 2014.
Scientific partners
Tags
Species of the same family
Same genus
