Gag grouper oculina coral - Earth.com Gag grouper oculina coral

The gag grouper  oculina coral , gag and scamp, form large spawning aggregations in Oculina habitat in February and March. Also The gag grouper is a bottomfeeder.

Also the Oculina is a colonial stony coral in the family of sea plants.

Therefore they occur at depths down to 1000 meters. Members of this species are known to be proto, schooling in harems with the most aggressive and largest females shifting sex to male, probably as a result of behavioral triggers, when no male is available.

Therefore the Recent  small closure in the Gulf of Mexico was established to provide this and other species a refuge from commercial fishing pressure.

 

 

-Photo by Steve Pratchett

Islands in the Stream: May 10 – October 3, 2001

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