WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Mutton Hamlet

Alphestes afer

Also known as: Cod, Coney, Hamlet, Hind, Mossyfish, Mossy Grouper, Mutton Hamlet, Pacific Mutton Hamlet, Red Nigger Hamlet, Rock Bass, Rockcod, Small Grouper, Trout

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2018
Adult
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01

Overview

Found singly, during the day hiding in crevices, or lying in seaweed areas, partly covered in sand, foraging for food at night over reefs.
They feed nocturnally on benthic crustaceans.

A master of camouflage!

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.

02

How to identify

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03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean, Eastern Atlantic
LIVES IN

Found singly, during the day hiding in crevices, or lying in seaweed areas, partly covered in sand, foraging for food at night over reefs.

04

Adult photos 0

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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. genusAlphestes
    7. speciesAlphestes afer (Bloch, 1793)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Groupers (Epinephelidae)