Species: Cephalopholis fulva, Coney, Coney Grouper

Cephalopholis fulva (Linnaeus, 1758)

Coney, Coney Grouper

Body robust, oblong; snout much longer than eye; flat to convex between the eyes; rear of top jaw exposed when mouth closed, with bony knob at lower rear corner; most of teeth movable; preopercle rounded, finely serrated, no spines or notch; 23-27 gill rakers; dorsal fin IX, 14-16, membranes deeply notched between spines; anal fin III, 9 rays; pectoral fin symmetrically rounded, 17-19 rays; tail base slender, its height <1/2 body height; tail fin convex, with angular corners; flank scales rough; lateral line scales 46-54.

Three Color Phases - Phase I Uniform red (deep water). Phase II orange-brown. Phase III bicolored – upper ½ dark, lower ½ abruptly pale (shallow water) or yellow (shallow and deep water). In all three phases the head and body are covered with small dark-edged pale blue spots; 2 small black spots on upper tail base and another 2 at tip of lower jaw. Juveniles can be bicolored or completely gold; with a white spot on midback, 4 black spots on lower lip, 2 white spots on upper tail base.

Reaches 39 cm.

Coral reefs and rocky bottoms.

Depth range: 1-350 m.

S Carolina south to southern Brazil.