Peacock grouper

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Peacock grouper
Peacock Grouper at Bristol Zoo in England.

Peacock Grouper at Bristol Zoo in England.

Systematics
Perch relatives (Percomorphaceae)
Order : Perch-like (Perciformes)
Family : Grouper (Epinephelidae)
Subfamily : Epinephelinae
Genre : Cephalopholis
Type : Peacock grouper
Scientific name
Cephalopholis argus
Schneider , 1801

The peacock grouper ( Cephalopholis argus ) is a strikingly colorful representative of the grouper (Epinephelidae).

Appearance

The basic color of its body can be dark red, brownish or olive green. The front part of the body is usually darker, while the peacock grouper can have five to six wide, light, vertical stripes at the back. Light blue dots outlined in black cover the whole body and the fins. At the base of the pectoral fins they have a light spot that is lighter or darker depending on the mood of the animals. Peacock grouper grow to be 40 to 60 centimeters long. The distant parts of the pectoral fins can be maroon, the triangular fin membranes at the tip of the dorsal fin spines are orange to golden.

The peacock grouper can easily be confused with the blue-spotted grouper ( Cephalopholis cyanostigma ).

Greenish specimen of the peacock grouper near the Comoros .

distribution

The fish live in the Indo-Pacific , from the Red Sea (rare) and the coast of South Africa to the Ryukyu Islands, Micronesia , Tahiti and Pitcairn . A population near Hawaii was likely introduced by humans. The peacock grouper lives on outer reefs as well as in lagoons up to a depth of 40 meters.

behavior

Peacock groupers live in pairs or in small groups. They are active both day and night and feed on small fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods . Young fish live very hidden between corals. From a length of 20 centimeters they become sexually mature.

literature

Web links

Commons : Peacock Grouper  - Collection of images, videos and audio files