Species: Hyporthodus exsul, Black grouper, Ten-spine grouper
Hyporthodus exsul (Fowler, 1944)
Ten-spine grouper, Black grouper
Body robust, relatively deep and oval, compressed, deepest at origin of dorsal fin; rear nostril shaped like an inverted teardrop, larger than front nostril; end of top jaw exposed; operculum edge with 3 flat spines; preoperculum without spines; 24-27 gill rakers; dorsal fin X, 13-14, second & third spines long, 2nd the longest; anal fin with III spines, 9 rays; pectoral 18-20 rays; lateral line complete, ending at tail base, smoothly arched; scales rough, small, 64-68 on lateral line.
Adult: grey brown; juvenile grey-brown body and fins with large round white spots on body, and bases of dorsal and anal fins; dorsal, anal and pelvics darker than body; pectoral fins & sometimes, outer 2/3 of tail pale; adults and juveniles with dark moustache along margin of top jaw.
Size: 125 cm.
Habitat: rocky habitat.
Depth: 35-450 m.
SE Gulf of California to Panama.
Note: Previously in the genus Epinephelus.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
-
- Marine Only
- Marine
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
-
- Bottom
- Bottom only
- Habitat
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- Rocks
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Reef and soft bottom
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
- Sand & gravel
- FishBase Habitat
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- Demersal
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- No Data
- Diet
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- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Bony fishes
- Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
- No Data
- Egg Type
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- Pelagic larva
- No data
- Pelagic
- Global Endemism
-
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
- All species
- East Pacific endemic
- Regional Endemism
-
- All species
- Continent
- Continental TEP endemic
- Mexican + Panamic provinces endemic
- TEP endemic
- Continent only
- Residency
-
- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
- IUCN Red List
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- Data deficient
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 125
- Depth Range Min
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- 35
- Depth Range Max
-
- 450
