Species
Barracuda
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Grouper
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Tripletail
Yellowtail Snapper |
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Grouper:
Black
Grouper (Mycteroperca bonaci)
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Gag
Gropuer (Mycteroperca microlepis) |
Golaith
Grouper (Epinephelus itajara) |
Red
Grouper (Epinephelus morio) |
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Click
Here to See Pictures of Grouper in our Picture Gallery |
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More
Information About Grouper: |
| Description: |
Black
Grouper: olive or gray body coloration
with black blotches and brassy spots; gently rounded preopercle.
Gag
Gropuer: brownish gray in color
with dark worm-like markings on sides; strong serrated
spur at bottom margin of preopercle, less noticeable in
large specimens; fins dark, with anal and caudal having
white margin. Often confused with black grouper; tail
of gag is slightly concave, black is square; gag has white
margin on anal and caudal fins, black does not; under
10 pounds, gag's spur on preopercle is distinctive, where
black is gently rounded.
Golaith
Grouper: head and fins covered with
small black spots; irregular dark and vertical bars present
on the sides of body; pectoral and caudal fins rounded;
first dorsal fin shorter than and not separated from second
dorsal; adults huge, up to 800 pounds; eyes small.
Red
Grouper: color brownish red; lining
of mouth scarlet-orange; blotches on sides in unorganized
pattern; second spine of dorsal fin longer than others;
pectoral fins longer than pelvic fins; squared off tail;
margin of soft dorsal black with white at midfin; black
dots around the eyes. |
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| Similar
Fish: |
Black
Grouper: gag M. microlepis; yellowfin
grouper, M. venenosa.
Gag
Gropuer: black grouper M. bonaci.
Golaith
Grouper: other grouper.
Red
Grouper: Nassau grouper, E. striatus. |
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| Where
found: |
Black
Grouper: OFFSHORE species; adults
associated with rocky bottoms, reef, and drop off walls
in water over 60 feet deep; young may occur INSHORE in
shallow water.
Gag
Gropuer: adults OFFSHORE over rocks
and reefs; juveniles occur in seagrass beds INSHORE.
Golaith
Grouper: NEARSHORE often around
docks, in deep holes, and on ledges; young often occur
in estuaries, especially around oyster bars; more abundant
in southern Florida than in northern waters.
Red
Grouper: bottom dwelling fish associated
with hard bottom; juveniles OFFSHORE along with adults
greater than 6 years old; fish from 1 to 6 years occupy
NEARSHORE reefs. |
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| Size: |
Black
Grouper: common to 40 pounds, may
attain weights exceeding 100 pounds.
Gag
Gropuer: common to 25 pounds.
Golaith
Grouper: largest of the groupers.
Red
Grouper: common to 15 pounds. |
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| Florida
Record*: |
Black
Grouper: no Florida record because
of identity confusion with gag, which are mistakenly called
"black grouper."
Gag
Gropuer: 71 lbs., 3 ozs.
Golaith
Grouper: 680 lbs.
Red
Grouper: 39 lbs., 8 ozs. |
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| Remarks: |
Black
Grouper: spawns between May and
August; protogynous hermaphrodites, young predominantly
female, transforming into males as they grow larger; larger
individuals generally in greater depths; feeds on fish
and squid.
Gag
Gropuer: forms spawning aggregations
in water no shallower than 120 feet in Middle Grounds
area, January through March; current reseach to identify
similar aggregations off Atlantic coast is ongoing. Young
gags are predominantly female, transforming into males
as they grow larger; feeds on fish and squid.
Golaith
Grouper: spawns over summer months;
lifespan of 30 to 50 years; feeds on crustaceans and fish.
NOTE: jewfish are totally protected from harvest in Florida
waters.
Red
Grouper: spawns in April and May;
prefer water temperatures between 66 and 77 degrees F;
undergoes sex reversal, young individual females becoming
males as they age; lifespan of at least 25 years; feeds
on squid, crustaceans, and fish. |
*
The Florida records quoted are from the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission's printed publication. The records
are provided as only as a benchmark.
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