Species: Epinephelus quinquefasciatus, Pacific goliath grouper, Pacific itajara grouper
juv: dark bars & spots
Epinephelus quinquefasciatus Bocourt, 1868
Pacific goliath grouper, Pacific itajara grouper
Body robust and oblong; wide and flat between eyes; eyes small; edge of preopercle angular; finely serrated; 21-24 gill rakers; dorsal fin XI, 15-16, the spines shorter than the rays; anal rays III, 8; pectoral rays 19; tail rounded.
Large fish: head and body grey or greenish with pale blotches and small dark brown or blackish spots scattered over upper parts of head, body, and on pectoral fins. Subadults (< 100 cm) greenish to tawny brown with oblique, irregular darker brown bars on body and tail fin. Juvenile with heavily spotted head, soft dorsal, pectoral, pelvic, and tail fins; 5 oblique black bars on body that extend onto dorsal and anal fins; a black bar on base of tail fin.
The largest bony reef fish in the region, growing to 250 cm and 320 kg.
Habitat: rocky reefs as well as bays, estuaries and mangrove areas.
Depth: 1-100 m.
Eastern Pacific; the SW and central E Gulf of California to Peru, the Revillagigedos, Cocos and Malpelo.
Note: Its Atlantic sister species is Epinephelus itajara.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Brackish
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore Only
- Inshore
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom only
- Bottom
- Habitat
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- Estuary
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Reef and soft bottom
- Sand & gravel
- Rocks
- Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Reef Associated
- Feeding Group
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- Carnivore
- Data
- Diet
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- Data
- Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
- Sea snakes/mammals/turtles/birds
- Bony fishes
- Sharks/rays
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Egg Type
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- Pelagic larva
- Pelagic
- No data
- Global Endemism
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- All species
- East Pacific endemic
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Continent + Island (s)
- Continent
- Island (s)
- All species
- TEP endemic
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- South Temperate (Peruvian Province )
- North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
- Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
- 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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- 250
- Depth Range Min
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- 1
- Depth Range Max
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- 100
