Atlantic goliath grouper
Epinephelus itajara
Slender grouper
Anyperodon leucogrammicus
About
This slim grouper is the only member of its genus. It grows to about 65 cm long, and it hunts reef fish by pretending to be something else.
Also known as: white-lined rockcod, whitelined cod, white-lined rock-cod, whiteline rockcod, whitelined rockcod, whiteline group, white-lined cod, slender rockcod, white-lined grouper, white-lined rock cod, white-lined grouper, whitelined rockcod, whitelined cod, white-lined cod, white-lined rockcod, white-lined rock-cod
- Length
- 65 cm
- Depth
- 5–50 m
How to tell it apart
Adults can be told apart from other reef groupers by their five thin, silvery-blue stripes over an orange-spotted, reddish-brown body. Young fish are harder to spot. Their blue-and-red stripes closely copy two local wrasses, both in colour and in how they swim. Because of this, a young slender grouper can look like a harmless wrasse until it darts in on prey that does not expect it.
Appearance
The head and body are long for a grouper, with a large mouth. Its lower jaw sticks out past the upper one. Adults are pale reddish-brown, covered in orange spots that are closer together on the head. Five pale silvery-blue stripes run along its sides. The lower three stripes reach the tail, while the top two break up into streaks near the back of the body. Young fish look completely different, with bright blue and red stripes over a slim body.
Habitat
This fish lives on reefs rich in coral, in lagoons and on reef slopes facing the open sea, across the tropical Indian and Pacific Oceans. It usually stays no deeper than 50 m, but it can go down to 80 m.
Did you know?
This is the only species in its genus, called Anyperodon. Unlike most groupers, it has no teeth at all on the roof of its mouth.
Log it in Into the Blue
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