Order : Perciformes
Family : EPINEPHELIDAE
Species : Epinephelus spp.

The genus Epinephelus comprises a group of around 90 species known as groupers, part of the family Epinephelidae (as of 2025, according to Fishbase, a further 80 or so other marine species in 15 genera are included in this family).

Some sources include this group as part of the family Serranidae.

Epinephelus groupers are exclusively marine, and they are widespread in the warm tropical waters of Southeast Asia and beyond; adult fish are mainly associated with shallow coral or rocky reefs, while juveniles may occur in river mouths and mangrove habitats. They are predatory, feeding on crustaceans and other fishes.

They are elongated and thick-bodied in shape, with large mouths. Many are well camouflaged for the reef environment. The dorsal fin is supported by 9 or 10 spines and 12 to 19 soft rays. The pectoral fins are rounded, and the tail fin varies between species being either concave, truncated or rounded.

Epinephelus groupers are protogynous hermaphrodites i.e. they are born or hatch as female, but in later life their sex changes to male (see Wikipedia link below, for explanation).

The group includes Epinephelus lanceoloatus (Giant Grouper) which can reach over 2 metres in length.

Wild-caught groupers and farmed groupers are considered high quality eating fish, commonly served in seafood restaurants in the region.

The diversity of Epinephelus groupers is at its highest in the Indo-west Pacific Region, which includes the shallow seas of Southeast Asia.

Figs 1 and 2 : A well camouflaged Greasy Grouper ('Estuarine Grouper') Epinephelus cf tauvina in shallow coral reef habitat in the Western Pacific Ocean.

Fig 3 : Floating fish farms off the coast of Pulau Ubin, northeast of Singapore. Groupers, including hybrids, are reared in these farms for consumption in Singapore's seafood restaurants. Singapore produces around 5000 tons of fish annually, including groupers, for local consumption at these and other modern, land-based fish farms.


References and links :

Fishbase - Epinephelidae

Wild Singapore - Groupers

Wikipedia - Epinephelus lanceoloatus (Giant Grouper)

Wikipedia - Protogynous hermaphrodites