Snowy grouper

Deepwater reef communities form important feeding and spawning habitat for large predators such as snowy grouper.

The coloration of this species varies with the size of the fish. Smaller fish are dark brown overall, punctuated with coin-size pearly white spots on the sides.

A distinctive black, saddle-shaped blotch occurs on the caudal peduncle and extends down below the the lateral line. Larger snowy groupers usually lose the white spots and caudal saddle and become dark brown with a slight coppery tint. The spiny portion of the dorsal fin has a black margin.

Also The snowy grouper is a species of marine fish in the family Serranidae.

Islands in the Stream: May 10 – October 3, 2001