Whitespotted Grouper, Epinephelus coeruleopunctatus (Bloch, 1790)

Scientific name: Epinephelus coeruleopunctatus
Alternative name/s:
Ocellated Rock-cod, Ocellated Rockcod, Small-spotted Cod, Small-spotted Rock-cod, White-spotted Rockcod
  • Author(s)
    Mark McGrouther
  • Updated
    22/02/19
  • Read time
    2 minutes
Whitespotted Grouper, Epinephelus coeruleopunctatus Click to enlarge image
A Whitespotted Grouper caught and released at the mouth of the Wooli River, northern New South Wales, October 2004. Image: Ken Sloan
© Ken Sloan

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Epinephelus
    Species
    coeruleopunctatus
    Family
    Serranidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to 60 cm in length.

Introduction

The Whitespotted Grouper is grey-brown with large white blotches and small white spots on the head, body and dorsal fin.

Distribution

It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-west-central-Pacific.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia

References

  1. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  2. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.