WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Gag

Mycteroperca microlepis

Also known as: Charcoal Belly, Gag Grouper, Gagvelvet Rockfish, Velvet Rockfish, Gag-velvet Rockfish

VUVulnerableIUCN Red List, 2018
Adult
@philsFirstPix · st. andrews state park, United States · September 20171 / 1
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Overview

Found singly, or in large schools, over rocky bottoms, in seagrass beds, around ledges and wrecks, of inshore and offshore reefs.

Groupers are solitary carnivores that hunt near the bottom usually at dusk. Food is drawn into their mouths by a powerful suction when they open their overly large mouths and then swallowed whole.
Spawning is seasonal and controlled by the moons phase.

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How to identify

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found singly, or in large schools, over rocky bottoms, in seagrass beds, around ledges and wrecks, of inshore and offshore reefs.

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Adult photos 1

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderPerciformes
    5. familyEpinephelidae
    6. genusMycteroperca
    7. speciesMycteroperca microlepis (Goode & Bean, 1879)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Groupers (Epinephelidae)