| Family: |
Epinephelidae (Groupers) |
| Max. size: |
34 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 1 - 30 m, non-migratory |
| Distribution: |
Indo-West Pacific: western India to Philippines, north to southern Japan (Honshu), south to northern Australia. 'Epinephelus formosus' from Madagascar (Ref. 6457), Réunion and Mauritius (Ref. 6458) are probably based on misidentifications of Cephalopholis polleni. Confused with Cephalopholis boenak. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-17; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 7-8. Characterized by: dark brown to yellowish brown color with narrow blue stripes; body with ctenoid scales, including abdomen; greatest depth of body 2.5-2.9 in SL; rounded caudal fin; pelvic fins, 1.6-2.0 in head length (Ref. 90102): head length 2.4-2.6 in SL; preorbital depth 3.6-4.3% SL, more than half maxilla width; convex interorbital area; rounded preopercle, finely serrate, lower edge fleshy; smooth subopercle and interopercle; maxilla naked, reaching to or just past vertical at rear edge of eye (Ref. 089707). |
| Biology: |
Like C. boenak, it prefers shallow dead or silty reefs and this may account for the primarily continental distributions of these two species. Solitary (Ref 90102). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 02 November 2017 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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