Venezuelan grouper

Venezuelan grouper
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Serranidae
Subfamily:	Epinephelinae
Genus:	Mycteroperca
Species:	M. cidi
Binomial name
Mycteroperca cidi Cervigón, 1966
Synonyms[2]
Labrus guaza Linnaeus , 1758

The Venezuelan grouper (Mycteroperca cidi) is a species of marine

.

Description

The Venezuelan grouper has a body depth which is less than the length of the head. the depth of the body being around one third of the

The adults are pale greyish brown while the juveniles are greenish brown and are marked with irregular brown spots on the body. The soft rayed part of the dorsal fin and the anal fin has a white margin with a dark submarginal band.[3] This species attains a maximum total length of 114 centimetres (45 in), although they are more commonly around 60 centimetres (24 in), and a maximum published weight of 15 kilograms (33 lb).^[2]

Distribution

The Venezuelan grouper is found in northern South America where its range extends from Santa Marta in Colombia to the Paria Peninsula in Venezuela. It has also been recorded off Port Royal in Jamaica but it is not known whether these represent an established population.^[1]

Habitat and biology

The Venezuelan grouper is found on coral and rocky reefs as well as soft coral fields. The larger adults are normally found at deeper depths, while the juveniles are recorded from shallower waters, over sandy bottoms near and on coral reefs and from

Taxonomy

The Venezuelan grouper was first formally

Utilisation

The Venezuelan grouper is an important species for fisheries along the Caribbean coast of Venezuela as it is one of the three most numerous shallow water grouper species. It is taken using with traps and hook-and-line. The flesh is marketed fresh.[3]

References