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SERRAN Epin 50

1983

FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS

FAMILY: FISHING AREA 51 (W. Indian Ocean)

Epinephelus radiatus (Day, 1867)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC NAMES STILL IN USE: Often misidentified as " morrhua (Valenciennes)", which is a different species

VERNACULAR NAMES: FAO : En - Oblique-banded Fr - Mérou zébré Sp - Mero acebrado NATIONAL:

DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS:

Body depth contained 2.5 to 3.0 times in standard length. Preopercle serrate, with 3 to 5 enlarged serrae at the angle; sides of lower jaw with 2 rows of teeth; lower gillrakers 16 to 18. Dorsal fin with 11 spines and 14 or 15 (usually 15) soft rays; interspinous membranes of dorsal fin deeply incised; anal fin with 3 spines and 8 soft rays; margin of anal fin rounded; pectoral rays 17 or 18; caudal fin slightly to moderately rounded. Pored lateral line scales 57 to 66; lateral scale series 110 to 120. Colour: light brownish grey, the body with 4 irregular, dark-edged bands passing downward and forward, the 2 in the middle bifurcating in about centre of body (first 3 bands originating on dorsal fin and the last on caudal peduncle); an irregular dark-edged band extending posteriorly from eye, soon bifurcating, the lower part continuing to opercle and the upper extending onto nape; 2 narrow oblique dark brown bands on cheek; body, dorsal fin and base of anal fin with scattered dark brown dots; remaining fins unmarked. Adults with bands on dorsal part of head and body being replaced by small dark spots extending onto dorsal and caudal fins. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS OF SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:

Epinephelus morrhua: a dark brown band from upper end of gill opening to rear base of dorsal fin, with 2 oblique branches extending dorsally from it, each ending broadly in dorsal fin (1 in middle of spinous portion and 1 anteriorly in soft portion). E. poecilonotus: a large dark brown spot or group of spots at base of spinous portion of dorsal fin; below this a series of curved parallel rows of dark brown spots. E. morrhua E. latifasciatus: dorsal soft rays 12 or 13 (14 or 15 in E. radiatus); narrow dark bands or rows of dark spots on body horizontal.

SIZE:

Maximum: 70 cm.

E. poecilonotus

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND BEHAVIOUR:

because of confusion of this species with the closely related E. rnorrhua and E. peocilonotus, the records in the literature cannot be confirmed unless accompanied by good illustrations or colour descrip- tions. This grouper is positively known only from Natal, Mauritius, Reunion, south India, Chagos Archipelago and outside our area, from the East Burma Sea, Hong Kong and southern Japan. E. latifasciatus Adults generally occur in 80 to 160 m depth; the young have been collected in as little as 18 m depth.

PRESENT FISHING GROUNDS:

Deep banks throughout its range.

CATCHES, FISHING GEAR AND FORMS OF UTILIZATION:

Separate statistics are not reported for this species.

Caught by deep handlining or line-pullers.

Marketed fresh.

SERRAN Epin 51

1983

FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS

FAMILY: SERRANIDAE FISHING AREA 51 (W. Indian Ocean)

Epinephelus retouti Bleeker, 1874

OTHER SCIENTIFIC NAMES STILL IN USE: ? Epinephelus mauritianus Baissac, 1962 ? Epinephelus truncatus Katayama, 1957

VERNACULAR NAMES: FAO : En - Brownback grouper Fr - Mérou rouge Sp - Mero punteado NATIONAL:

DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS:

Body depth contained 2.6 to 3.0 times in standard length. Preopercle serrate, the serrae at the angle slightly enlarged; lower gillrakers 14 to 16. Dorsal fin with 11 spines and 16 soft rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 8 or 9 soft rays; pectoral rays 19 or 20; caudal fin truncate. Pored lateral line scales 70 to 73; lateral scale series 127 to 141.

Colour: reddish, each scale with a dark basal spot; margin of dorsal fin and upper edge of caudal fin with a dusky border. Juveniles with dorsal part of head dark brown; 3 broad dark brown bars or, body below spinous dorsal fin and extending well onto fin. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS OF SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:

Epinephelus fasciatus: body depth 2.9 to 3.3 times in standard length (2.6 to 3.0 times in E. retouti); lateral line scales 50 to 56 (70 to 73 in E. retouti); dark bars on body not broader than pale interspaces. E. rivulatus: dark wavy violet lines on cheek and preorbital; each body scale usually with a conspicuous white spot; pectoral fin usually with a E. fasciatus dark reddish brown blotch at base of fin; lateral line scales 50 to 53.

SIZE:

Maximum: 50 cm.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND BEHAVIOUR: E. rivulatus Known only from Mauritius, Réunion and Madagascar. Reported from Chagos Archipelago as Epinephelus truncatus.

PRESENT FISHING GROUNDS:

Occurs in depths of 30 to 150 m.

CATCHES, FISHING GEAR AND FORMS OF UTILIZATION:

Separate statistics are not reported for this species.

Caught with hook and line, in traps and gillnets.

Marketed fresh.

SERRAN Epin 52

1983

FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS

FAMILY: SERRANIDAE FISHING AREA 51 (W. Indian Ocean)

Epinephelus rivulatus (Valenciennes, 1830)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC NAMES STILL IN USE : Epinephelus rhyncholepis (Bleeker, 1859) Epinephelus grammatophorus Boulenger, 1903

VERNACULAR NAMES: FAO : En - Halfmoon grouper Fr - Mérou demi-lune Sp - Mero medialuna

NATIONAL:

DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS

Body depth contained 2.6 to 3.2 times in standard length. Preopercle serrate, the serrae at the angle enlarged; lower gillrakers 13 to 16. Dorsal fin with 11 spines and 16 to 18 soft rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 8 soft rays; pectoral rays 17 to 19; caudal fin rounded. Pored lateral line scales 50 to 53; lateral scale series 86 to 102.

Colour: head and body generally brownish; each body scale usually with a bluish-white spot; 4 irregular dark bars from base of dorsal fin to ventral part of body, the first curving forward onto opercle, the second to midline of belly and the last 2 running to anal fin base; a fifth dark bar across peduncle; 2 dark saddle blotches on nape. Usually 3 or 4 wavy violet lines radiating from eye and a few short segments and spots of the same colour on cheek and opercle. Pectoral fin dark grey, with a dark red semicircular blotch covering most of the base. Chest and isthmus pale, with dark reddish-brown markings. Dark brown pigment in crease along base of spinous dorsal fin. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS OF SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:

Epinephelus stoliczkae: prominent dark spots on head and body; median fins with a yellow submarginal band; no small white spot on each body scale; body scales mostly cycloid.

E. fasciatus: no wavy violet lines on head; no reddish blotch at base of pectoral fins; black triangle on membrane behind tip of each dorsal spine. E. stoliczkae E. retouti: no wavy violet lines on head; pectoral firs uniformly pale; dark red or black triangle on membrane behind tip of each dorsal spine; lateral line scales 70 to 73 (50 to 53 in E. rivulatus).

SIZE:

Maximum: 35 cm. E. fasciatus

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND BEHAVIOUR:

Widely distributed in the Western Indian Ocean, southward to Algoa Bay, South Africa, but not in the Red Sea or in the "Gulf". Also present in the Eastern Indian Ocean and the Western Central Pacific, extending eastward to China and Japan.

E. retouti PRESENT FISHING GROUNDS: Rocky bottoms or coral reefs from 20 to 150 m. Common on the North Kenya Banks in 35 to 120 m depth.

CATCHES, FISHING GEAR AND FORMS OF UTILIZATION:

Separate statistics are not reported for this species.

Caught with hook arid line, in traps and gillnets.

An excellent food fish, but rather small to be prized by fishermen. Sold fresh and dried salted in local markets.

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