dcsimg
Image of Hong Kong Grouper
Creatures » » Animal » » Vertebrates » » Ray Finned Fishes » » Sea Basses »

Hong Kong Grouper

Epinephelus akaara (Temminck & Schlegel 1842)

Diagnostic Description

provided by Fishbase
Distinguished by the following characteristics: head and body pale brownish grey, covered with small red, orange or gold spots except on ventral side; 6 faint oblique dark bars on body; dark brown blotch on body at base of the 3 dorsal fin spines; dorsal fin margin yellow or orange; row of dusky yellow or orange spots along middle of the spinous dorsal fin and another row along the base of the fin; faint red or orange spots at caudal and anal fins; body depth less than head length, 2.7-3.2 times in SL; head length 2.3-2.6 times in SL; preopercle with enlarged serrae at angle; upper edge of operculum straight; subequal posterior and anterior nostril; maxilla reaching about to vertical at rear edge of eye; two rows of teeth at midside of lower jaw; pelvic fins not reaching anus; caudal fin rounded; lateral body scales ctenoid, with auxiliary in adults (Ref. 089707).
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
FishBase
Recorder
Rodolfo B. Reyes
original
visit source
partner site
Fishbase

Morphology

provided by Fishbase
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 17; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 8
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
FishBase
Recorder
Rodolfo B. Reyes
original
visit source
partner site
Fishbase

Trophic Strategy

provided by Fishbase
Inhabits coral reefs (Ref. 58534). Widespread in rocky areas (Ref. 9137).
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
FishBase
Recorder
Drina Sta. Iglesia
original
visit source
partner site
Fishbase

Biology

provided by Fishbase
Rock-reef species inhabiting depths to at least 55 m. Juveniles are often found shallower than 10 m (Ref. 089707). A highly prized food fish usually caught by hand-lining over rock strata. Found in Hong Kong live fish markets (Ref. 27253).
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
FishBase
Recorder
Susan M. Luna
original
visit source
partner site
Fishbase

Importance

provided by Fishbase
fisheries: minor commercial; aquaculture: commercial; price category: very high; price reliability: questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this genus
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
FishBase
Recorder
Susan M. Luna
original
visit source
partner site
Fishbase

分布

provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
分布於西太平洋區,包括南中國海、台灣、東海、南韓及日本。台灣北部、東部及南部產量甚豐。
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
臺灣魚類資料庫
author
臺灣魚類資料庫

利用

provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
本種是鮨科中重要的經濟性魚種,產量甚多,在各食用國之價格相當高。主要的漁期大約在4月-11之間。主要漁法以延繩釣、一支釣或魚籠捕獲,已能利用箱網養殖。主要食法以煮湯為主,清蒸亦佳。
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
臺灣魚類資料庫
author
臺灣魚類資料庫

描述

provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
體長橢圓形,側扁而粗壯,標準體長為體高之2.7-3.2倍。頭背部斜直;眶間區微凹陷。眼小,短於吻長。口大;上下頜前端具少數大犬齒,兩側齒細尖,可向後倒伏。鰓耙數8-9+15-17。前鰓蓋骨後緣一般具鋸齒,下緣光滑。鰓蓋骨後緣具3扁棘。體被細小櫛鱗;側線鱗孔數50-54;縱列鱗數92-106。背鰭鰭棘部與軟條部相連,無缺刻,具硬棘XI,軟條15-17;臀鰭硬棘III枚,軟條8;腹鰭腹位,末端延伸不及肛門開口;胸鰭圓形,中央之鰭條長於上下方之鰭條,且長於腹鰭,但短於後眼眶長;尾鰭圓形。體灰褐色;頭部、體側和奇鰭上散佈小型橙黃色、紅色或橘色斑點;體側另具6條不顯之暗橫帶。背鰭基底具一黑斑。
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
臺灣魚類資料庫
author
臺灣魚類資料庫

棲地

provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
暖溫性中下層魚類,多生活於岩礁底質的海域,一般不呈大群體活動。稚魚具高度洄游性。肉食性,主要攝食魚類和蝦類。
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
臺灣魚類資料庫
author
臺灣魚類資料庫

Hong Kong grouper

provided by wikipedia EN

The Hong Kong grouper (Epinephelus akaara) is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in eastern and southeastern Asian waters of the Western Pacific Ocean. Its natural habitats are shallow seas and coral reefs.

Description

The Hong Kong grouper has a body which has a standard length which is around 2.7-3.2 times the depth of its body. The dorsal profile of the head is convex between the eyes. The preopercle is rounded and serrated with the serrations at its angle enlarged.[3] The dorsal fin contains 11 spines and 15-17 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays. The caudal fin is rounded and the pelvic fin does not extend as far as the anus.[2] There are 61-64 scales in the lateral line. The head and body have a pale brownish grey background colour, with the flanks and back covered with small red, orange or gold spots. There are 6 indistinct diagonal dark bars which can normally be seen on at least towards the back. The first bar is on the nape, the third bar runs through a dark brown or black blotch on the body at base of rearmost 3 spines of the dorsal fin while the final bar is on the caudal peduncle. These dark bars reach the base of dorsal fin. The margin of the dorsal fin is yellow or orange with a line of dusky yellow or orange spots along middle of spiny part of that dorsal fin and another along base of the fin. These rows have one spot on each membrane. The soft part of the dorsal fin as well as the caudal and anal fins have indistinct red or orange spots at their bases and dusky membranes faintly marked with small white spots.[3] The maximum published total length for this species is 58 centimetres (23 in), although they are more common at around 30 centimetres (12 in), and the maximum published weight is 2.5 kilograms (5.5 lb).[2]

Distribution

The Hong Kong grouper is found in the Western Pacific Ocean. It is found in southern Japan where it occurs in the Tsugaru Strait, the strait between Honshu and Hokkaido south along both coasts. It is also found off Korea, China and Taiwan as far as the Gulf of Tonkin.[1] It may be found off Vietnam but this needs to be confirmed as the lone reported specimen may be a misidentification of Epinephelus fasciatomaculosus. There are unsubstantiated records from India and the Philippines.[2]

Habitat and biology

The Hong Kong grouper is found in coral and rocky reefs down to depths of at least 55 metres (180 ft) while juveniles prefer shallower waters than the adults.[1] Around Japan he species is common in rocky areas. [3] Fishermen in Hong Kong report taking this species as spawning adults along the continental shelf in the East China Sea and South China Sea at depths of 27 to 55 metres (89 to 180 ft). Around the Byeonsan Peninsula of the Republic of Korea spawning has been observed in late July and early August. In this area hermaphrodites had a length of measured around 28 to 32 centimetres (11 to 13 in) while males were 40 centimetres (16 in). Spawning aggregations have not been confirmed in this species although there are anecdotal reports from Hong Kong of divers encountering groups of up to 50 fishes in close proximity on reefs in the summer, coinciding with the known spawning season.[1]

As other fish, the Hong Kong grouper harbours parasites, including, among others, the diplectanid monogenean Pseudorhabdosynochus satyui and Pseudorhabdosynochus epinepheli, parasitic on the gills.[4]

Taxonomy

The Hong Kong grouper was first formally described as Serranus akaara in 1842 by the Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck (1778-1858) and his student, the German ichthyologist Hermann Schlegel (1804-1884), with the type locality given as Nagasaki.[5]

Utlisation

The Hong Kong grouper is regarded as a species of high commercial value in Hong Kong and Japan. It is usually caught by hand-line over rock strata and the species is often marketed live to increase the price paid.[6] It has been bred in aquaculture but the survival of the hatched larvae is low.[3] By the mid 1990s the wild population was exhausted as a viable fishery.[1]

Conservation

The Hong Kong grouper has no effectively managed stocks. In China there are limits on the gear which can be used but in Hong Kong the fishing is largely unregulated, except a small no take zone where the species may actually be increasing. Hatchery reared larvae are released in Japanese waters but there are no known conservation measures in other parts of its range.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Sadovy, Y.; Liu, M.; Amorim, P.; Choat, J.H.; Law, C.; Ma, K.; Myers, R.F.; Rhodes, K.; Samoilys, M.; Suharti, S.; To, A. (2018). "Epinephelus akaara". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T43974A100459934. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T43974A100459934.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Epinephelus akaara" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
  3. ^ a b c d Heemstra, P.C. & J.E. Randall (1993). FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 16. Groupers of the world (family Serranidae, subfamily Epinephelinae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the grouper, rockcod, hind, coral grouper and lyretail species known to date (PDF). FAO Fish. Synopsis. Vol. 125. FAO, Rome. p. 104-106. ISBN 92-5-103125-8.
  4. ^ Jean-Lou Justine (2009). "A redescription of Pseudorhabdosynochus epinepheli (Yamaguti, 1938), the type-species of Pseudorhabdosynochus Yamaguti, 1958 (Monogenea: Diplectanidae), and the description of P. satyui n. sp. from Epinephelus akaara off Japan". Systematic Parasitology. 72 (1): 27–55. doi:10.1007/s11230-008-9171-5. PMID 19048406. S2CID 9467410.
  5. ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Serranus akaara". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  6. ^ Sadovy, Yvonne and Christine Lee(1998). A Taste for Live Fish: Hong Kong's Live Reef Fish Market.
license
cc-by-sa-3.0
copyright
Wikipedia authors and editors
original
visit source
partner site
wikipedia EN

Hong Kong grouper: Brief Summary

provided by wikipedia EN

The Hong Kong grouper (Epinephelus akaara) is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in eastern and southeastern Asian waters of the Western Pacific Ocean. Its natural habitats are shallow seas and coral reefs.

license
cc-by-sa-3.0
copyright
Wikipedia authors and editors
original
visit source
partner site
wikipedia EN