Sixblotch Grouper

Cephalopholis sexmaculata, commonly referred to as the sixblotch hind, freckled cod, freckled rock-cod, sixband cod, six-banded rockcod, or sixspot rockcod, is a marine ray-finned fish belonging to the grouper subfamily Epinephelinae within the family Serranidae, which also includes anthias and sea basses. This species is distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

The morphology of Cephalopholis sexmaculata is characterized by a body length approximately 2.5 to 3 times its depth, following the standard length measurement. Specimens exceeding 30 centimeters (12 inches) in length exhibit a concave dorsal head profile above the eyes. The preopercle is rounded with fine serrations, which are notably small in adult specimens. Its dorsal fin comprises 9 spines and 14–16 soft rays, while the rounded anal fin contains 3 spines and 9 soft rays. The caudal fin is rounded, and the pelvic fins typically do not extend to the anus. The lateral line consists of 49 to 54 scales. The body showcases an orange-red base color adorned with sparsely distributed small blue spots, which become more concentrated on the head and dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. Additionally, elongated blue spots and bars appear on the head. Four dark vertical bars are present on the body’s flanks, though they may appear faint. These bars merge with blackish blotches at the dorsal fin’s base, extending onto the fin. Two smaller dark bars are situated on the caudal peduncle, and the spaces between these bars may appear pale, while the pectoral fins are orange-red. The species can reach a maximum total length of 50 centimeters (20 inches).

Cephalopholis sexmaculata is found throughout the Indo-Pacific, ranging from the 🌊 Red Sea and 🇿🇦 South Africa to 🇵🇫 French Polynesia, north to the Ryukyu Islands (🇯🇵 Japan) in southern 🇯🇵 Japan, and south to northern 🇦🇺 Australia. It has not been observed in the 🇮🇳 Indian subcontinent, 🌊 Gulf of Oman, or the 🌊 Persian Gulf.

Adult Cephalopholis sexmaculata typically inhabit diverse coastal to outer reef environments, often along deep walls featuring caves with abundant invertebrate growth, such as large sponges and soft corals. While they may be solitary, they can also be found in small groups. These fish are primarily active at night in deeper waters but migrate to shallower waters during the day and exhibit secretive behavior. They are frequently associated with the cleaner shrimp Periclimenes elegans. Their habitat depth ranges from 6 to 150 meters (20 to 492 feet), and their diet predominantly consists of fish.

This species was first formally described as Serranus sexmaculatus in 1830 by German naturalist and explorer Wilhelm Peter Eduard Simon Rüppell, with the type locality identified as the 🌊 Red Sea.

Cephalopholis sexmaculata is a target for commercial fisheries, utilizing methods such as hook and line, traps, and spears for capture.