Species: Epinephelus guttatus, Red Hind, Red Hind Grouper

Epinephelus guttatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Red Hind, Red Hind Grouper

Body robust, compressed, deepest at origin of dorsal fin, depth < head length; rear of top jaw exposed when mouth closed, without bony knob at lower rear corner; teeth depressible; sides of roof of mouth with teeth; front nostril <rear nostril; operculum edge with 3 flat spines; preoperculum rounded, evenly serrated; 24-26 gill rakers; dorsal fin XI, 15-16, spine III or IV longest, membranes between spines indented, length of base of soft part not longer than that of spiny part; anal fin III, 8; pectoral fin symmetrically rounded, 16-18; origin of pelvic under origin of pectoral, shorter than pectoral; tail slightly convex; body scales rough on sides, 92-104 along side.

Adult: head and body yellowish-brown to greenish white to pale red-brown, covered with red-brown spots; spiny dorsal olive, with yellow flags at tips of spines; soft dorsal, tail and anal fins olive, with a broad black band just in from edge and a narrow white line along outer edge. Juvenile: similar to adult but spots are larger.

Reaches 76 cm, 8.3 kg.

Lives on reefs.

Depth range: 2-181 m.

N Carolina to Brazil.