Genus: Hyporthodus, Deepwater Grouper, Groupers

HYPORTHODUS

GROUPERS

Body robust, relatively deep and oval, compressed, deepest at origin of dorsal fin; rear of top jaw exposed when mouth closed, without bony knob at lower rear corner; teeth depressible; sides of roof of mouth with teeth; operculum edge with 3 flat spines; preoperculum serrate, with larger serrae at angle; pectoral fin symmetrically rounded; dorsal fin X-XI, 13-15, length of base of soft part not longer than that of spiny part; anal fin III, 9; pelvic fins insert below or before the base of the pectoral fin; tail fin usually rounded; body scales rough or smooth.

A tropical genus that occurs in the Americas and Indo-Pacific, with about 16 species; 4 species in our area: 2 W Atlantic, 1 trans-Atlantic and 1 species shared between the NW Atlantic and the eastern Pacific.