Cephalopholis nigripinnis (Valenciennes, 1828)

Rajan, P. T., Mishra, S. S. & Bineesh, K. K., 2017, First records of two species of groupers, Cephalopholis nigripinnis and Epinephelus retouti (Perciformes: Epinephelidae) from India, with a note on Epinephelids from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 117 (3), pp. 289-294 : 290

Cephalopholis nigripinnis (Valenciennes, 1828) (Blackfin grouper)

1828. Serranus nigripinnis Valenciennes, Histoire naturelle des poissons, 2: 339 (Type locality: probably Indian Ocean).

2012. Cephalopholis nigripinnis Allen and Erdmann, Reef fishes of the East Indies: 264.

Diagnostic Characters: D IX, 14-16; A III, 8-9; P 17-18; LL pored 54-68; LSS 88-108. Body depth 2.7-3.1 in SL; pectoral fin length 1.8-2.2 in head length. Interorbital area convex. Preopercle rounded and finely serrate, lower edge fleshy; subopercle and interopercle usually smooth; maxilla reaching beyond posterior edge of eye. Scales Ctenoid on body and abdomen. Caudal fin rounded. Body red in coloranteriorly, grading to dark brown on posterior part; posterior edge of operculum with a prominent brown ear spot.

Habitat: This small grouper found in solitary in shallow water, mainly found in outer coral-rich areas.

Distribution: Indian Ocean: From East coast of Africa ( Kenya to South Africa) to Indonesia (Java and Sumatra); Comoros Island, Mascarene Island, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Chagos Island.

Remarks: C. nigripinnis (Valenciennes) was earlier thought to be a junior of C. Urodeta (Schneider 1801) ( Heemstra and Randall, 1993) . However, recently it is recognised as a valid species based on molecular studies ( Craig and Hastings, 2007; Craig et al., 2011). The later is distinguished in having a pair of diagonal white bands on caudal fin which is absent in the former. The present report forms its first record from India and Andaman Islands as well.