Epinephelus malabaricus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) Malabar

Yennawar, Prasanna, Mohapatra, Anil & Tudu, Prasad Chandra, 2017, An account of Ichthyofauna of Digha coast, West Bengal, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 117 (1), pp. 4-4 : 4-

13. Epinephelus malabaricus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) Malabar grouper (Figure 14)

Materials examined: 8 ex.; Mohana, Digha, 08.06.11; Reg. No, MARC /ZSI/F1913 .

Description: Head and body brownish, covered with small, well separated, blackish brown spots which extend onto chest, lower jaw and gular area and roof of mouth; head and body also with scattered white spots and blotches; 5 irregular, oblique, dark brown bars (more or less interrupted by pale spots) often visible on body; fins with scattered small black spots. Caught with hook and lines and gill nets. Occur on protected reefs and creeks. Excellent food fish, marketed fresh.

Distribution: Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Tonga, north to Japan, south to Australia.

IUCN Status (2012): Near Threatened (NT).

Remarks: The fish has high commercial value in aquaculture & gamefish. Size: 100 cm.