Duskytail grouper (Epinephelus bleekeri)

General data

Main name: Duskytail grouper
Local names: Bleeker's grouper, Bleeker's rockcod
Habitat: Saltwater
Native: Asia, Australia & Oceania
Distribution: South China Sea, Pacific Ocean, Persian Gulf, Indian ocean

Classification

Description

Epinephelus bleekeri has an elongate body which has a standard length that is 3.0 to 3.5 times as long as it is deep. The preopercle has 2 to 9 enlarged serrations at its angles and, in adults, there is a notch above that angle. The upper edge of the gill cover is straight.

The dorsal fin contains 11 spines and 16–18 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8–9 soft rays. The caudal fin is truncate or rounded and the pelvic fins are short.

The head and body have a background colour which is brownish, reddish brown or purplish grey and it is covered, other than on the underside, with many reddish orange, gold, or yellow spots.

The dorsal fin and upper third of the caudal fin are spotted like the body. The remainder of the caudal fin is dusky.

In some fish the spots on the body have an indistinct dark margin.

The pectoral and pelvic fins, as well as the outer part of the anal fin are dusky. There is a dark streak like a moustache along the maxillary groove.

Juveniles, i.e. up to 11 centimetres (4.3 in) standard length, have 7 faint dark bars on the upper body. The first two bars are on the nape and the last is on the caudal peduncle and all 7 bars have small dark spots along their margins. There are no dark spots on the head or fins.

The maximum recorded length is 76 centimetres (30 in).

Distribution Epinephelus bleekeri is found in the Indo-Pacific region where it is found from the Persian Gulf to Taiwan through Indonesia to northern Australia. It also occurs in the Solomon Islands, although its presence in Japan is unconfirmed and it is absent from Polynesia and Micronesia.

In Australia its range goes from Shark Bay, Western Australia, to the Cobourg Peninsula in the Northern Territory.

Taxonomy of Fishes

Osteichthyes - Bony fishes->
- Actinistia - Lobe-finned fishes->
- Actinopteri - Ray-finned fishes->
  - Perciformes - Perches->
    
    Percidae - Perches->
    
    Pomatomidae - Bluefishes->
    
    Serranidae - Sea basses->
    
    Pomacentridae - Damsel and clownfishes->
    
    Latidae - Lates perches->
    
    Centropomidae - Snooks->
    
    Lutjanidae - Snappers->
    
    Haemulidae - Grunts->
    
    Artedidraconidae - Barbled plunderfishes->
    
    Embiotocidae - Surfperches->
    
    Glaucosomatidae - Pearl perches->
    
    Malacanthidae - Tilefishes->
    
    Polynemidae - Threadfin->
    
    Gerreidae - Mojarras->
    
    Priacanthidae - Bigeyes->
    
    Monodactylidae - Moonyfishes->
    
    Centrogenyidae - False scorpionfishes->
    
    Epinephelidae - Groupers->
    
    Epinephelus - Cloudy groupers->
    
    Atlantic goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara)
    
    Dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus)
    
    Goldblotch grouper (Epinephelus costae)
    
    Red grouper (Epinephelus morio)
    
    Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus)
    
    Malabar grouper (Epinephelus malabaricus)
    
    Maori rockcod (Epinephelus undulatostriatus)
    
    Blacktip grouper (Epinephelus fasciatus)
    
    One-blotch grouper (Epinephelus melanostigma)
    
    Comet grouper (Epinephelus morrhua)
    
    Pacific goliath grouper (Epinephelus quinquefasciatus)
    
    Giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus)
    
    Honeycomb grouper (Epinephelus merra)
    
    Potato grouper (Epinephelus tukula)
    
    Blue-and-yellow grouper (Epinephelus flavocaeruleus)
    
    White grouper (Epinephelus aeneus)
    
    Epaulet grouper (Epinephelus stoliczkae)
    
    Rock hind (Epinephelus adscensionis)
    
    Hong Kong grouper (Epinephelus akaara)
    
    White-edged grouper (Epinephelus albomarginatus)
    
    Banded grouper (Epinephelus amblycephalus)
    
    Spotted grouper (Epinephelus analogus)
    
    Catface grouper (Epinephelus andersoni)
    
    Areolate grouper (Epinephelus areolatus)
    
    Yellow grouper (Epinephelus awoara)
    
    Frostback rockcod (Epinephelus bilobatus)
    
    Duskytail grouper (Epinephelus bleekeri)
    
    Palemargin grouper (Epinephelus bontoides)
    
    Longtooth grouper (Epinephelus bruneus)
    
    Dogtooth grouper (Epinephelus caninus)
    
    Moustache grouper (Epinephelus chabaudi)
    
    Tonga grouper (Epinephelus chlorocephalus)
    
    Brownspotted grouper (Epinephelus chlorostigma)
    
    Epinephelus clippertonensis (Epinephelus clippertonensis)
    
    Whitespotted grouper (Epinephelus coeruleopunctatus)
    
    Orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides)
    
    Coral grouper (Epinephelus corallicola)
    
    Brokenbar Grouper (Epinephelus craigi)
    
    Speckled blue grouper (Epinephelus cyanopodus)
    
    Saddletail grouper (Epinephelus daemelii)
    
    Spinycheek grouper (Epinephelus diacanthus)
    
    Speckled hind (Epinephelus drummondhayi)
    
    Dotted grouper (Epinephelus epistictus)
    
    Cloudy grouper (Epinephelus erythrurus)
    
    Rock grouper (Epinephelus fasciatomaculosus)
    
    Barred-chest grouper (Epinephelus faveatus)
    
    Brown-marbled grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus)
    
    Darkmargin grouper (Epinephelus fuscomarginatus)
    
    Multispotted grouper (Epinephelus gabriellae)
    
    Epinephelus geoffroyi (Epinephelus geoffroyi)
    
    Dungat grouper (Epinephelus goreensis)
    
    Red hind (Epinephelus guttatus)
    
    Bridled grouper (Epinephelus heniochus)
    
    Starspotted grouper (Epinephelus hexagonatus)
    
    Blacksaddle grouper (Epinephelus howlandi)
    
    Somali grouper (Epinephelus indistinctus)
    
    Pacifc insular grouper; (Epinephelus insularis)
    
    Marquesan grouper (Epinephelus irroratus)
    
    Brownspotted grouper (Epinephelus japonicus)
    
    Fivebar grouper (Epinephelus kupangensis)
    
    Starry grouper (Epinephelus labriformis)
    
    Striped grouper (Epinephelus latifasciatus)
    
    Mystery grouper (Epinephelus lebretonianus)
    
    Longspine grouper (Epinephelus longispinis)
    
    Snubnose grouper (Epinephelus macrospilos)
    
    Highfin grouper (Epinephelus maculatus)
    
    Speckled grouper (Epinephelus magniscuttis)
    
    Netfin grouper (Epinephelus miliaris)
    
    White-blotched grouper (Epinephelus multinotatus)
    
    White-streaked grouper (Epinephelus ongus)
    
    Dot-dash grouper (Epinephelus poecilonotus)
    
    Smallscaled grouper (Epinephelus polylepis)
    
    Camouflage grouper (Epinephelus polyphekadion)
    
    White-dotted grouper (Epinephelus polystigma)
    
    Striped-fin grouper (Epinephelus posteli)
    
    Longfin grouper (Epinephelus quoyanus)
    
    Oblique-banded grouper (Epinephelus radiatus)
    
    Red-tipped grouper (Epinephelus retouti)
    
    Halfmoon grouper (Epinephelus rivulatus)
    
    Sixbar grouper (Epinephelus sexfasciatus)
    
    Surge grouper (Epinephelus socialis)
    
    Foursaddle grouper (Epinephelus spilotoceps)
    
    Black-dotted grouper (Epinephelus stictus)
    
    Seamount grouper (Epinephelus suborbitalis)
    
    Summan grouper (Epinephelus summana)
    
    Greasy grouper (Epinephelus tauvina)
    
    Yellowspotted grouper (Epinephelus timorensis)
    
    Threespot grouper (Epinephelus trimaculatus)
    
    Plump grouper (Epinephelus trophis)
    
    Reticulate grouper (Epinephelus tuamotuensis)
    
    Wavy-lined grouper (Epinephelus undulosus)
    
    Mycteroperca - Groupers ->
    
    Cephalopholis - Scaleheaded groupers->
    
    Hyporthodus - Hyporthodus->
    
    Alphestes - Alphestes->
    
    Variola - Variola->
    
    Anyperodon - Anyperodon->
    
    Gonioplectrus - Gonioplectrus->
    
    Plectropomus - Coral groupers->
    
    Gracila - Gracila->
    
    Aethaloperca - Aethaloperca->
    
    Chromileptes - Humpback groupers->
    
    Dermatolepis - Dermatolepis->
    
    Saloptia - Saloptia->
    
    Triso - Triso->
    
    Cebidichthyidae - Cebidichthyidae->
    
    Anthiadidae - Anthiadidae->
    
    Ambassidae - Asiatic glassfishes->
    
    Bathydraconidae - Antarctic dragonfishes->
    
    Bembropidae - Duckbill flatheads->
    
    Bovichtidae - Thornfishes->
    
    Caesionidae - Fusiliers->
    
    Caesioscorpididae - Blowhole perches->
    
    Centracanthidae - Picarels->
    
    Cepolidae - Bandfishes->
    
    Channichthyidae - Crocodile icefishes->
    
    Congrogadidae - Eelblennies->
    
    Datnioididae - Freshwater tripletails->
    
    Dinopercidae - Cavebasses->
    
    Eleginopidae - Patagonian blennies->
    
    Grammatidae - Basslets->
    
    Grammistidae - Soapfishes->
    
    Hapalogenyidae - Barbeled grunters->
    
    Harpagiferidae - Spiny plunderfishes->
    
    Lactariidae - False trevallies->
    
    Latilidae - Deepwater tilefishes->
    
    Leptobramidae - Beachsalmon->
    
    Liopropomatidae - Painted basslets->
    
    Niphonidae - Ara groupers->
    
    Nototheniidae - Cod icefishes->
    
    Opistognathidae - Jawfishes->
    
    Oxylebiinae - Painted greenlings->
    
    Plesiopidae - Roundheads->
    
    Pseudaphritidae - Catadromous icefishes->
    
    Pseudochromidae - Dottybacks->
    
    Ptereleotridae - Dartfishes->
    
    Toxotidae - Archerfishes->
  - Cypriniformes - Carps->
  - Esociformes - Pikes->
  - Salmoniformes - Salmons and Trouts->
  - Siluriformes - Catfishes->
  - Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes->
  - Gasterosteiformes - Sticklebacks->
  - Gadiformes - Cods->
  - Anguilliformes - Eels and morays->
  - Clupeiformes - Herrings->
  - Syngnathiformes - Pipefishes and Seahorses->
  - Gobiiformes - Gobies->
  - Mugiliformes - Mullets->
  - Carangiformes - Jacks->
  - Beloniformes - Needlefishes->
  - Labriformes - Wrasses->
  - Scombriformes - Mackerels->
  - Mulliformes - Goatfishes->
  - Pleuronectiformes - Flatfishes->
  - Aulopiformes - Grinners->
  - Blenniiformes - Blennies->
  - Cyprinodontiformes - Toothcarps->
  - Osmeriformes - Smelts->
  - Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes->
  - Cichliformes - Cichlids->
  - Characiformes - Characins->
  - Osteoglossiformes - Bony tongues->
  - Elopiformes - Tarpons and tenpounders->
  - Anabantiformes - Gouramies and snakeheads->
  - Gymnotiformes - South American knifefish->
  - Istiophoriformes - Barracudas->
  - Albuliformes - Bonefishes->
  - Lepidogalaxiiformes - Salamanderfishes->
  - Lophiiformes - Anglerfishes->
  - Spariformes - Breams and porgies->
  - Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes->
  - Moroniformes - Temperate basses->
  - Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes->
  - Zeiformes - Dories->
  - Tetraodontiformes - Puffers and filefishes->
  - Holocentriformes - Squirrelfishes->
  - Dactylopteriformes - Flying gurnards->
  - Lampriformes - Lamprids->
  - Galaxiiformes - Southern smelts->
  - Batrachoidiformes - Toadfishes->
  - Hiodontiformes - Mooneyes->
  - Percopsiformes - Trout-perches->
  - Callionymiformes - Dragonets->
  - Atheriniformes - Silversides->
  - Notacanthiformes - Spiny eels->
  - Saccopharyngiformes - Swallowers and Gulpers->
  - Alepocephaliformes - Slickheads and tubeshoulders->
  - Gonorynchiformes - Milkfishes->
  - Argentiniformes - Marine smelts->
  - Stomiiformes - Lightfishes and dragonfishes->
  - Ateleopodiformes - Jellynose fishes->
  - Myctophiformes - Lanternfishes->
  - Stylephoriformes - Tube-eyes->
  - Polymixiiformes - Beardfishes->
  - Beryciformes - Sawbellies->
  - Trachichthyiformes - Rughies->
  - Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels->
  - Kurtiformes - Nurseryfishes & Cardinalfishes->
  - Synbranchiformes - Swamp eels->
  - Gobiesociformes - Clingfishes->
  - Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses->
- Cladistii - Bichirs->
- Dipnoi - Lungfishes->
- Chondrostei - Sturgeons and Paddlefishes->
- Holostei - Gars and Bowfins->
Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes->
Agnatha - Jawless fishes->

Duskytail grouper (Epinephelus bleekeri)

General data

Classification

Description

Taxonomy of Fishes

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