Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system

Español  Contact

Species: Epinephelus altivelis, Humpback grouper

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

body deep, compressed
head concave
snout pointed
back humped
white + round black spots

Epinephelus altivelis  (Valenciennes, 1828)

Humpback grouper

Body compressed, oblong; head with upper profile distinctly concave, rising steeply at nape; snout bluntly pointed; rear nostril a long vertical slit; mouth reaches under rear half of eye; jaws with bands of viliform (small, conical) teeth, no canines; sides of roof of mouth with teeth;  preopercle finely serrated, lower edge smooth; gill rakers short, 8-11 + 13-17; dorsal fin X, 17-19, not indented between spines and rays, membranes not indented between spines, rear spines longest, rays longer than spines; anal fin III, 9-10; pectorals rounded, 17-18; tail fin rounded; body scales smooth, 54-62 on lateral line, 106-122 along side of body.

Head, body and fins pale greenish white to light greenish brown, with dispersed round black spots, those on body larger than those on head and fins.

Reaches 70 cm; 3.5 kg; 19 years

Lives on coral reefs, but usually in silty areas.

Depth range 0-40 m.

Natural range is the junction between the west Pacific and the Indian Ocean; introduced to southeast Florida.


High Resolution Map Download

Species Data Create Report Export as Word File Export as Excel File
Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Bottom only
Habitat
  • Mud
  • Reef only
  • Rocks
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Bony fishes
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • All species.
  • Exotic (Introduced)
Regional Endemism
  • Exotic (Introduced)
  • GC non-endemic
  • Continent
  • All species..
  • Continent only
Residency
  • Vagrant
Climate Zone
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
IUCN Red List
  • Listed
  • Data deficient
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 70
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 40