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Epinephelus akaara (Temminck & Schlegel, 1842)

Hong Kong grouper
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Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2050
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Epinephelus akaara   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Epinephelus akaara (Hong Kong grouper)
Epinephelus akaara
Picture by Randall, J.E.


Hong Kong country information

Common names: Hong Kong grouper, Red grouper, 紅斑
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: fairly common (chances are about 50%) | Ref: Wilson, K.D.P., 2003
Importance: commercial | Ref: Wong, C., 1982
Aquaculture: commercial | Ref: FAO Fishery Information, Data and Statistics Service, 1993
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: live export: yes;
Comments: Reported from Lobster Bay, Cape D'Aguilar (Ref. 33067). Also reported from Hoi Ha Wan and Tung Ping Chau (Ref. 94637). Only a single individual was observed from a rocky reeef in Shek Ngau Chau (Ref. 128523). The species was observed on 11 to 100 occasions during 400 dive surveys on artificial reefs (Ref. 119494). One of the most popular species cultured in Hong Kong (Ref. 12092). Museum: ANSP 162154; BMNH 1939.3.23.22; BPBM 18656; NMW 39864-65. Also Ref. 2852, 4787, 5222, 12087, 125586, 129329.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/hk.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Ni, I.-H. and K.-Y. Kwok, 1999
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Perciformes/Serranoidei (Groupers) > Epinephelidae (Groupers)
Etymology: Epinephelus: Greek, epinephelos = cloudy (Ref. 45335).
  More on authors: Temminck & Schlegel.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 55 m (Ref. 89707).   Tropical; 39°N - 20°N, 109°E - 143°E (Ref. 5222)

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Northwest Pacific: southern China, Taiwan, East China Sea, Korea, and southern Japan (Kyushu to about 38°N on both coasts of Honshu). Reported specimen from Viet Nam may be Epinephelus fasciatomaculosus and records from the Philippines and India are unsubstantiated.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?, range 23 - ? cm
Max length : 58.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 89707); common length : 30.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2852); max. published weight: 2.5 kg (Ref. 40637)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 17; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Distinguished by the following characteristics: head and body pale brownish grey, covered with small red, orange or gold spots except on ventral side; 6 faint oblique dark bars on body; dark brown blotch on body at base of the 3 dorsal fin spines; dorsal fin margin yellow or orange; row of dusky yellow or orange spots along middle of the spinous dorsal fin and another row along the base of the fin; faint red or orange spots at caudal and anal fins; body depth less than head length, 2.7-3.2 times in SL; head length 2.3-2.6 times in SL; preopercle with enlarged serrae at angle; upper edge of operculum straight; subequal posterior and anterior nostril; maxilla reaching about to vertical at rear edge of eye; two rows of teeth at midside of lower jaw; pelvic fins not reaching anus; caudal fin rounded; lateral body scales ctenoid, with auxiliary in adults (Ref. 089707).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Rock-reef species inhabiting depths to at least 55 m. Juveniles are often found shallower than 10 m (Ref. 089707). A highly prized food fish usually caught by hand-lining over rock strata. Found in Hong Kong live fish markets (Ref. 27253).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall, 1993. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 16. Groupers of the world (family Serranidae, subfamily Epinephelinae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the grouper, rockcod, hind, coral grouper and lyretail species known to date. Rome: FAO. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(16):382 p. (Ref. 5222)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

  Endangered (EN) (A2d); Date assessed: 20 November 2016

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless




Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquaculture: commercial
FAO(Aquaculture systems: production; ; publication : search) | FishSource | Sea Around Us

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Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 16 - 25.5, mean 20.6 (based on 178 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5000   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01445 (0.00751 - 0.02781), b=3.06 (2.90 - 3.22), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  4.0   ±0.65 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Assuming tm=2).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Moderate vulnerability (38 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Very high.