Roving Coralgrouper

The roving coral grouper (Plectropomus pessuliferus), commonly referred to as the spotted coral grouper, is a significant marine ray-finned fish within the Epinephelinae subfamily of the Serranidae family, which also encompasses anthias and sea basses. This species is distributed across the Indo-Pacific region; however, certain authorities classify the 🌊 Red Sea variant, P. marisrubri, as a distinct species.

This species exhibits an elongated and robust body, with a standard length measuring approximately 2.9 to 3.9 times its body depth. The preopercle is predominantly rounded and features three prominent descending spines along its lower section. Additionally, the gill cover comprises two skin-covered spines flanking a central spine. The dorsal fin is equipped with 7–8 spines and 10–12 soft rays, while the anal fin comprises 3 spines and 8 soft rays, with the spiny portion of the dorsal fin having a shorter base compared to the soft-rayed section. In adult specimens, the caudal fin is truncate, whereas in juveniles, it is emarginate. The head, body, and fins display a color spectrum ranging from brown to orange-red, adorned with numerous small blue spots bordered by dark edges. Certain spots on the head and flanks are characteristically elongated vertically, with reduced spotting on the lower body. A blue ring typically encircles the eye, although this may sometimes be incomplete. The roving coral grouper achieves a total length of up to 120 centimeters (47 inches).

While widely distributed, the roving coral grouper is relatively rare and inhabits the Indo-Pacific, spanning from the 🌊 Red Sea and extending along the East African coast to 🇲🇿 Mozambique, 🇲🇬 Madagascar, and eastwards across the 🌊 Indian Ocean to the Coral Triangle in the Western 🌊 Pacific Ocean.

Roving coral groupers primarily reside in coral reefs, including shallow lagoons and seaward reefs, at depths ranging from 25 to 147 meters. As carnivorous predators, they predominantly feed on fish and crustaceans. Notably, they sometimes engage in cooperative hunting with species such as the giant moray (Gymnothorax javanicus), humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus), or the big blue octopus (Octopus cyanea).

The species was initially scientifically described as Plectropoma pessuliferum by American ichthyologist Henry Weed Fowler (1878–1965), with the type locality specified as Padang in Sumatra (🇮🇩 Indonesia). Certain authorities recognize Plectropomus marisrubri, considered synonymous with P. pessuliferus by Fishbase, as a valid species, while others regard it as a subspecies, P.p. marisrubri. Phylogenetic analyses have clarified that P. pessuliferus, characterized by a relatively limited size and distribution from the central 🌊 Indian Ocean to the Coral Triangle, is a sister species to the Leopard coral grouper (P. leopardus) and is not closely related to the 🌊 Red Sea taxon, P.p. marisrubri.

The roving coral grouper is primarily harvested using spears, hand lines, gill nets, and traps. In regions such as the 🇲🇻 Maldives, this species is exported to Southeast Asia for the live reef fish trade, where it is highly valued.