Species Epinephelus epistictus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1843)

Museums

Regional Maps

External Links

• Serranus epistictus Temminck, C.J. & Schlegel, H. 1843. Pisces. 1-20 pls 1-7 in Siebold, P. Fr de (ed.). Fauna Japonica. Leyden : Apud Arnz & Socios Vol. 4. [for publication date Bauchot, M.-L., Whitehead, P.J.P. & Monod, Th. 1982. Date of publication and authorship of the fish names in Eydoux & Souleyet's zoology of la Bonite, 1841–1852. Cybium 6(3): 59–73] [8].

  Type data:

   Holotype RMNH D88 skin, Nagasaki, Japan.

 

Generic Combinations

• Mycteroperca episticta (Temminck & Schlegel, 1843). —
  Ma, K.Y. & Craig, M.T. 2018. An inconvenient monophyly: an update on the taxonomy of the groupers (Epinephelidae). Copeia 2018(3): 443–456 [451] (changed combination based on genetic studies)
• Epinephelus epistictus (Temminck & Schlege, 1843). —
  Randall, J.E. & Heemstra, P.C. 1991. Revision of Indo-Pacific groupers (Perciformes: Serranidae: Epinephelinae), with descriptions of five new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes 20: 1-332 [137]

 

Miscellaneous Literature Names

• Epinephelus magniscuttis Postel, Fourmanoir & Guézé, 1963 [misidentification]. —
  Gloerfelt-Tarp, T. & Kailola, P.J. 1984. Trawled Fishes of Southern Indonesia and Northwest Australia. Jakarta : Dir. Gen. Fish. (Indonesia), German Tech. Coop., Aust. Dev. Ass. Bur. 406 pp. [133]

 

Introduction

Ma & Craig (2018) placed this species in the genus Mycteroperca based on genetic studies. However, no distinct morphological characters uniquely separate the two genera as recognised by that study. Placement in Mycteroperca makes identification to genus difficult. Tentatively we retain the species in Epinephelus. Genetic studies (Johnson & Wilmer 2019) suggested that the species may be confined to the north-west Pacific and Australian and other tropical Indo-west Pacific material probably represents another species.

 

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

North-western WA to north-east of Darwin, NT (9º18´S, 132º48´E); tropical, Indo-west Pacific.

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IMCRA

Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27)

Distribution References

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, continental shelf, marine, soft bottom.

Extra Ecological Information

Trawled in 71-200 m.

 

General References

Craig, M.T., Sadovy de Mitcheson, Y.J. & Heemstra, P.C. 2011. Groupers of the World: a Field and Market Guide. Grahamstown, South Africa : NISC Ltd 356 pp., Appendix 47 pp. [129]

Heemstra, P.C. & Randall, J.E. 1999. Family Serranidae. pp. 2442-2548 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 4 pp. 2069-2790. [2496]

Hutchins, J.B. 2001. Checklist of the fishes of Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 63: 9-50 [30]

Johnson, J.W. & Wilmer, J.W. 2019. Epinephelus fuscomarginatus (Perciformes: Epinephelidae), a new species of grouper from off the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Zootaxa 4674(3): 329-348

Randall, J.E. & Heemstra, P.C. 1991. Revision of Indo-Pacific groupers (Perciformes: Serranidae: Epinephelinae), with descriptions of five new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes 20: 1-332 [137]

Sainsbury, K.J., Kailola, P.J. & Leyland, G.G. 1984. Continental Shelf Fishes of Northern and North-Western Australia. Canberra : Fisheries Information Service 375 pp. figs & pls. [128]

 

Common Name References

FAO-FIES 2017. Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Information System (ASFIS) species list. http://www.fao.org/fishery/collection/asfis/en (Dotted Grouper)

Heemstra, P.C. & Randall, J.E. 1993. Groupers of the World (Family Serranidae, Subfamily Epinephelinae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of grouper, rockcod, hind, coral grouper and lyretail species known to date. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No. 125 Vol. 16. Rome: FAO. pp. 1-382 [144] (Dotted Grouper, Black-spotted Rockcod, Broken-line Grouper)

Sainsbury, K.J., Kailola, P.J. & Leyland, G.G. 1984. Continental Shelf Fishes of Northern and North-Western Australia. Canberra : Fisheries Information Service 375 pp. figs & pls. [128] (Black-dotted Rock-cod)

Seafood Services Australia 2008. Australian Fish Names Standard. http://www.fishnames.com.au/. (Dotted Grouper)

Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & Hoese, D.F. 2006. Standard names of Australian fishes. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research Paper 9: 1-64 [38] (Dotted Grouper)

 

History of changes

Published	As part of group	Action Date	Action Type	Compiler(s)
03-Mar-2022	SERRANIDAE	18-Aug-2021	MODIFIED	Dr Doug Hoese (AM) Dr Matthew Lockett (ABRS)
30-Sep-2019	SERRANIDAE	23-Jan-2019	MODIFIED	Dr Doug Hoese Dr Matthew Lockett
03-Dec-2012		23-Oct-2013	MODIFIED
		30-Mar-2010	MODIFIED