Giant grouper

Not to be confused with goliath grouper.

"Brown spotted cod" redirects here. For the Southern African fish, see brown-spotted rockcod. For the Persian Gulf fish, see brown spotted reef cod.

Giant grouper
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Serranidae
Genus:	Epinephelus
Species:	E. lanceolatus
Binomial name
Epinephelus lanceolatus Bloch, 1790
Synonyms
Serranus magnificus Macleay, 1882

The giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus), also known as the brindlebass, brown spotted cod, or bumblebee grouper, and as the Queensland grouper in Australia, is the largest bony fish found in coral reefs, and the aquatic emblem of Queensland. It is found from near the surface to depths of 100 m (330 ft) at reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific region, with the exception of the Persian Gulf. It also enters estuaries, such as the lowermost part of the Brisbane River. It reaches up to 2.7 m (8.9 ft) in length and 400 kg (880 lb) in weight; unconfirmed reports of it growing much bigger exist, up to 4.26 m (14.0 ft) and 598 kg (1,318 lb). Giant groupers feed on a variety of marine life, including small sharks and juvenile sea turtles. Due to overfishing, this species has declined drastically in many regions, and as of the mid-1990s, it is considered Vulnerable by the IUCN.

Young specimen

This giant fish is similar to the Malabar grouper, and its colour changes with age. The giant grouper has a large mouth and a rounded tail. Juveniles have irregular black and yellow markings, while adults are green-grey to grey-brown with faint mottling, with numerous small black spots on the fins.

The first fish to undergo chemotherapy was Bubba, a giant grouper at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

References

• The Australian Fisherman's Companion by Harold Vaughan