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Mycteroperca venenosa (Linnaeus, 1758)

Yellowfin grouper
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Native range | All suitable habitat | Point map | Year 2050
This map was computer-generated and has not yet been reviewed.
Mycteroperca venenosa   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Mycteroperca venenosa (Yellowfin grouper)
Mycteroperca venenosa
Picture by Patzner, R.


United States (contiguous states) country information

Common names: Aguaji, Bonaci arara, Grouper
Occurrence: native
Salinity: brackish
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: gamefish: yes;
Comments: Also Ref. 276, 26280, 115025.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
National Fisheries Authority: http://www.nmfs.gov
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall, 1993
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: Mycteroperca: Greek, mykter, -eros = nose + Greek, perke = perch (Ref. 45335).
  More on author: Linnaeus.

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

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 137 m (Ref. 5222), usually 5 - 35 m (Ref. 40849).   Subtropical; 35°N - 28°S, 92°W - 33°W (Ref. 5222)

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

Western Atlantic: Bermuda, Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean south to Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm 53.6, range 50 - 63 cm
Max length : 100.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 26340); common length : 50.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217); max. published weight: 18.5 kg (Ref. 40637)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 16; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10 - 12. Distinguished by the following characteristics: Head and body have oval groups of dark spots; outer third of pectoral fin bright yellow (Ref. 26938); two color morphs: a deep-water reddish form and shallow-water greenish form; depth of body contained 2.9-3.2 times in SL; head length 2.6-2.9 times in SL; convex interorbital area; evenly rounded preopercle or with slight notch, without projecting bony lobe at the angle; nostrils subequal or posterior nostrils with diameter twice the size of anterior nostrils (Ref. 89707).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Adults found on rocky and coral reefs, juveniles occur in shallow turtle grass beds. Also been taken in trawls over mud bottom in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Feeds mainly on fishes (mostly on coral reef species) and squids. Although often implicated in ciguatera poisonings, it is a desirable food fish; and even large (5 to 10 kg) fish from areas considered safe are sold in markets. Also caught with surface trolling. Sex-reversal has been observed (Ref. 5521).

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)

  Near Threatened (NT) (A4bd); Date assessed: 12 March 2018

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 4690)




Human uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums
FAO(Fisheries: production; publication : search) | FishSource | Sea Around Us

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet compositions
Food consumptions
Food rations
Predators
Ecology
Ecology
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Population dynamics
Growths
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversions
Recruitments
Abundances
Life cycle
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Maturities
Fecundities
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Visual pigment(s)
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Genetics
Genetics
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Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 24.3 - 28, mean 27 (based on 310 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.5000   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01122 (0.00720 - 0.01748), b=3.04 (2.92 - 3.16), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  4.5   ±0.5 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.09-0.17; tmax=15; Fec=400,000).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  High vulnerability (62 of 100).
Climate Vulnerability (Ref. 125649):  Very high vulnerability (86 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Very high.