Epinephelus fuscomarginatus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Serranidae
Subfamily: Epinephelinae
Genus: Epinephelus
Species:
E. fuscomarginatus
Binomial name
Epinephelus fuscomarginatus
Johnson & Worthington Wilmer, 2019

Epinephelus fuscomarginatus, the darkmargin grouper, 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 of the coast of eastern Australia.

Description

Epinephelus fuscomarginatus has a body which has a standard length 3.0 to 3.4 times its depth. The preopercle has a rounded angle which has 4-9 small serrations. The dorsal fin contains 11 spines and 14 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays. The caudal fin is rounded. There are 60-67 scales in the lateral line. The flanks are marked with diffuse, irregular brown bars and blotches and there are wide dark brown margins to the soft rayed part of the dorsal fin, anal fin and caudal fins. It also has two indistinct, light brown bars which radiate from the eye to the rear edge of the gill cover in non sexually mature fish. There are no dark spots on the head, body and fins of this fish at any stage of its life.[1] This species attains a length of at least 70 centimetres (28 in).[2]

Distribution

Epinephelus fuscomarginatus is endemic to the Great Barrier Reef off Queensland. Here it has been recorded from the Capricorn Channel off the southern end of Swains Reefs to the east of the Capricorn-Bunker group.[1]

Habitat

Epinephelus fuscomarginatus inhabits reefs at depths of up to 220 m (720 ft).[2]

Taxonomy

Epinephelus fuscomarginatus was first formally described in 2019 by Jeffrey W. Johnston and Jessica Worthington Wilmer with the type locality given as Capricorn Channel, south of Swain Reefs, Queensland.[2][3][4] The first five specimens were purchased by Mr. Johnson from a fish market in Brisbane's North Lakes after a fisherman had sent him a photograph and he suspected that they were an undescribed species.[5]

Utilisation

Epinephelus fuscomarginatus is caught using longlines[1] and has been recorded in fish markets.[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Bray, D.J. (2019). "Epinephelus fuscomarginatus". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Cockburn, Harry (4 November 2019). "Mystery fish being eaten by Australians found to be unknown to science". The Independent. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  3. ↑ Johnson, J.; Wilmer, J. Worthington (2019). "Epinephelus fuscomarginatus (Perciformes: Epinephelidae), a new species of grouper from off the Great Barrier Reef, Australia". Zootaxa. 4674 (3): zootaxa.4674.3.2. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4674.3.2. PMID 31716001. S2CID 204142707.
  4. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Epinephelus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  5. ↑ Queensland Museum. ""New species of fish served up on a plate"". scimex: Breaking science news for Australia and New Zealand.
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