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Golden grouper (Lat. Epinephelus costae). It loves the relatively warm waters and the rocky seabeds, but it can be found also in those mixed with sand. Unlike the other groupers, usually solitary and sedentary, it moves in small schools between the 20 and the 80 m of depth. It may reach the 8 kg per a length of 80 cm, but there are reports of record specimens of 140 cm. It feeds on cephalopods, crustaceans, and fishes. It is a protogynous hermaphroditic species, that is, with females that while ageing, transform in males, and that the sexual maturity is reached when 30-35 cm long. It is caught using hand lines and drop lines.
Local name
Kirnja zlatica
English name
Golden grouper
Scientific name
Epinephelus costae
Did you know?
The name of the genus comes from the Greek “epinefes” = cloudy, with probable reference to the mimetic and often changing patterns which characterize these fishes
Weight
-
Length
Up to 1.4 m
Life span
50-100 years
Nutrition
It feeds on cephalopods, crustaceans, and fishes
Type of diet
Carnivorous
IUCN vulnerability status
Data Deficient (IUCN Red List)