SERRANIDAE


Epinephelus tukula
(photo by Mark Strickland)


Epinephelus tukula
Morgans, 1959
Potato Grouper

D XI, 14-15; A III, 8; P1 18-20; P2 I, 5; LLp 62-70; GR 8-10 + 15-18.

Body moderately elongate; body depth less than head length, 2.9-3.5 in SL. Head length 2.3-2.6 in SL. Posteroventral preopercular margin with slightly enlarged serrae. Upper margin of opercle almost straight. Caudal fin rounded. Interspinous dorsal-fin membranes distinctly incised. Pectoral fin length longer than longest pelvic-fin ray length, 1.6-2.1 in head length. Pelvic fin length 1.9-2.4 in head length. Lateral body scales ctenoid, with auxiliary scales in adults. Color: body pale brownish gray, with several dark brown to black blotches, mostly larger than eye and varying in shape. Head with smaller dark brown spots and streaks. Size: maximum length 200 cm. Distribution: distributed in the Indo-West Pacific, from the Red Sea to southern Japan and Queensland, Australia. No records from Indonesia, the Philippines or New Guinea. Remarks: found in tidepools in juveniles. Adults occur in coral reefs in depths of 10-150 m.(Hiroyuki Motomura)