Puerto Rico country information

Common names: Cabrilla, Mero cherna, Red hind
Occurrence: native
Salinity: marine
Abundance: | Ref:
Importance: | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: live export: yes;
Comments: Also Ref. 3708. 12 specimens exported in 1990/1991 (Ref. 12090). Also Ref. 50307.
National Checklist:
Country Information: httpss://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/rq.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall, 1993
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets) > Epinephelinae
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

Mérou couronné, Mero colorado, Hind, ... more

Main reference

Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall. 1993. (Ref. 5222)
References | Biblio | Coordinator : Heemstra, Phillip C. | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 76.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5222); common length : 40.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217); max. published weight: 25.0 kg (Ref. 5217); max. reported age: 22 years (Ref. 31471)

Length at first maturity
L_m 25.0 range ? - ? cm

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 100 - ? m (Ref. 89707)

Climate / Range

Tropical, preferred 26°C (Ref. 107945); 36°N - 8°N, 98°W - 58°W (Ref. 5222)

Distribution

Western Atlantic: North Carolina, USA to Paraíba, Brazil (Ref. 57756). The most common species of Epinephelus in the West Indies.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-16; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Scales cycloid except for a ctenoid patch of variable size in the pectoral region. Greenish gray to light brown on the back grading to white ventrally, with numerous well-spaced dull orange-red to brown spots on the head, body and fins. Five faint diagonal bars formed by darker spots on the sides. No saddle-shaped blotch on caudal peduncle or along base of dorsal fin (Ref. 26938); further characterized by having body depth contained 2.7-3.1 times in standard length; head length 2.3-2.4 times in standard length; evenly serrate preopercle, without salient angle; posterior nostril larger than anterior nostril (Ref. 89707).

Found in shallow reefs and rocky bottoms. Usually solitary and territorial. Feed mainly on crabs (Calapa and Mithrax) and other crustaceans (alpheid shrimps and scyllarid lobsters), fishes (labrids and haemulids), and octopus. Some undergo sexual inversion at 28 cm TL; most fish larger than 40 cm are males. Important in terms of numbers caught and total weight of landings in the Caribbean. Easily approached by divers (Ref. 9710). Hermaphrodite species. Excellent food fish (Ref. 26938). Readily caught on hook and line and easily speared (Ref. 13442).