Orange-spotted grouper

Description

The orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides),also known as the estuary cod,is a species of fish in the family Serranidae.It is found in the western Pacific,the Indian Ocean,and the Red Sea.It has also been recorded in the Mediterranean Sea as a Lessepsian migrant.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical mangrove,open seas,shallow seas,subtidal aquatic beds,coral reefs,estuarine waters,intertidal flats,and coastal saline lagoons.It is threatened by habitat loss and overfishing.This predatory fish reaches up to 1.2 m (3.9 ft) in length. In earlier literature it has often been confused with Epinephelus tauvina or Epinephelus malabaricus.