Epinephelus areolatus, Forsskal 1775
Least concern (LC) by IUCN Red List
Marine protected areas, Biosphere Reservs like Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve in India.
Sannadurgappa (2010) observed that E. areolatus was disappeared due to overgrowing populations and human activities on Aghanashini estuary ecosystem, South India. Live fish trade in Hongkon. Harvesting of juveniles for mariculture in South East Asian countries. Intensive trawling at many habitat.
From Talwar & Kacker (1984) and Heemstra & Randall (1993)
A small serranid fish with slender and laterally compressed body. Body depth less than head length, depth contained 2.8 to 3.3 times in standard length (for fish 14 to 31 cm standard length). Head length contained 2.4 to 2.8 times in standard length, interorbital area convex. Preoperculem with a convex and finely serrated upper edge witt 2 to 4-7 strong serrae at angle. Operculum witt convex upper border and 3 flat spines, the middle spine equidistant from upper and lower. Maxilla extending to verticle through posterior edge of eye. Maxilla, lower jaw and gular area scaly. Pair of canines on each side of symphysis in both jaws, teeth in narroe bands in 2 rows on side of jaws. teeth in inner row longer and depressible.Total gill rakers were 23 to 25, gill rakers 8 to 10 on upper limb and 14 to 16 on lower limb. Lateral-body scales are ctenoid, adults with auxiliary scales, lateral-line scales were 49 to 53, lateral-scale series 97 to 116. Pyloric caeca 11 to 17.
E. areolatus looks similar to E. chlorostigma as both species have brown spots on body and truncate or emarginate caudal fin with white margin. Sometimes confuse with E. bleekeri.
Dorsal fin with 11 spines and 15 or 16 soft rays. Anal fin with 3 spines and 8 soft rays. Pectoral-fin rays 17 to 19, pectoral fins longer than pelvic fins, pectoral-fin length contained 1.5 to 1.8 times in head length, pelvic-fin length contained 1.7 to 2.1 times in head length, reaching to or nearly to anus. Cauda lfin truncate or emarginate. Color of head, body an fins is pale brown with numerous dark green-brown spots. Spots on the fins are more darker. Caudal fin edge dusky black with distinctive white outer margin.
Max reported length 47 cm with common size is 35 cm. Weight reported was 1.4 kg.
E. areolatus occurs in the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and western Indian Ocean south to Natal, South Africa, its range extends eastward to India, Sri Lanka, Andaman Islands, Thailand, Malaysia, Viet Nam, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan, northern Australia (and nearby islands), Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, and Fiji.
Usually found in seagrass beds or on fine sediment bottoms near rocky reefs, dead coral, or alcyonarians, in shallow continental shelf waters. Occured upto 6 to 200 meters water depth, juveniles more common upto depth of 80 meters.
Max reported 15 years
Fertilisation occurs externaly. Forms aggregation for spawning. Eggs and spawn are probably pelagic.
Secondary consumer. Trophic level estimated as 4.
Parasites were reported from E. areolatus at different locations
Parasite group
Species
Reported location
Reference
Copepoda
Ergasilus sp
Thailand
Purivirojkul and Areechon (2008)
Digenea
Cainocreadium epinepheli
(Yamaguti,1934)
Arabian Gulf
Saoud et al. (1986)
Hirudinella ventricosa (Pallas, 1774) Baird, 1853
Southern Seas
Parukhin (1976)
Lepidapedoides levenseni (Linton,1907)
Monascus filiformis (Rudolphi, 1819)
Prosogonotrema bilabiatum Perez Vigueras, 1940
Prosorhynchus chorinemi Yamaguti, 1952
Prosorhynchus epinepheli Yamaguti, 1939
India
Hafeezullah and Siddiqi (1970)
Prosorhynchus ozakii Manter 1934
Red Sea and
Gulf of Aden
Parukhin (1970)
Stephanostomum dentalum (Linton, 1901)
Southern Seas
Parukhin (1976)
Marketed fresh. Common fish in markets includinf live fish markets in Hongkong and Singapore. Use as marine aquarium fish. Small juveniles were used to stocked in mariculture practices like floating net cages, pens in South east Asia.
English name : Areolated grouper, Areolated reef cod
West coast of India
East coast of India
Gujarathi : Vakharu
Tamil : Kalava
Marathi : Hekru, Gobra
Telugu : Rathi bontha
Kannada : Guri, Gopra, Muri meenu
Oriya : Kaibalay
Malayalam : Kalawa
Perca areolata Forsskål, 1775:42 (type locality: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Red Sea).
From Talwar and Kacker, 1984
Caudal fin subtruncate, truncate or emarginate.....
Depth of body 2.8 to 3.4 times in standard length.....
Dorsal fin with 14 to 17 soft rays.....
Anal fin with 8 soft rays.....
Middle opercular spine about equidistant from lower and upper spines.....
Dorsal fin with 15 to 17 soft rays, body with small or large spots or network of light lines.....
Preopercular angle with 2 to 4 strong serrae, dark spots on body rather large, caudal fin edged dusky black with a distinct fine white outer margin.....
Benthic crusteceans mainly shrimps and crab juveniles, small fish
This small size serranid forms an impotant component of the grouper fishery off Kerala coast (South India) in depths of 63 to 100 m. Caught with hook and lines, hand lines, trawl, bottom set gill nets, traps.
Perca areolata Forsskal, 1775
Serranus angularis Day, 1888
Serranus melanurus Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1828
Serranus angularis Steindachner and Doderlein, 1883
Serranus celebicus Bleeker, 1851
Serranus (Hyposerranus) areolatus Klunzinger, 1884
Serranus celebicus Gunther, 1859
Epinephelus angularis Sauvage, 1891
Epinephelus celebicus Bleeker, 1874
Epinephelus areolatus Boulenger, 1895
Serranus celebicus Klunzinger, 1870
Epinephelus areolatus Fowler and Bean, 1922
Epinephelus angularis Bleeker, 1876
Bodianus melanurus Geoffroy, 1809
Serranus celebicus von Martens, 1876