Sealife guideThe dusky grouperEpinephelus marginatus

There are several species of groupers found around the world, including the dusky grouper, the big star of the French Mediterranean coast and more generally of the Mediterranean.
Taxonomy
  • Common name: Dusky grouper
  • French name: Mérou brun
  • Spanish name: Mero nebuloso
  • Scientific name: Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834)
  • Family name: Epinephelidae
  • Order name: Perciformes
  • Class name: Actinopterygii
Description
The dusky grouper measures around 3 feet and can reach up to 5 feet in length.
The dusky grouper has a brownish coloration either solid or mottled with yellow spots depending on the individual
The dusky grouper has a brownish coloration either solid or mottled with yellow spots depending on the individual
Oval in shape, the grouper has a long dorsal fin and is characterized by a mouth surrounded by thick lips.
The dusky grouper has a brownish coloration either solid or mottled with yellow spots depending on the individual.
Range
The dusky grouper is found in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, ranging from South Africa to Portugal.
Habitat
The dusky grouper is a sedentary fish that lives close to the seabed, sheltering in rocky crevices or under rocky overhangs.
Its territory typically includes several shelters with one of them being regularly frequented.
The dusky grouper can be found at depths ranging from 16 to 33 feet down to approximately 656 feet.
Diet
The dusky grouper primarily feeds on fish, crustaceans and octopuses.
Reproduction
The dusky grouper has the unique ability to change sex once in its lifetime. It starts as a female at a young age and becomes a male around 10 to 15 years old.
Did you know ?
The dusky grouper can live up to 50 years.
Despite its bulky appearance, it is capable of rapid acceleration to catch its prey.
Fishing with hooks and spearfishing for the dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) are banned along the entire mainland Mediterranean coast. This moratorium on grouper fishing was extended by a prefectural decree on 12/17/2007 until 2013.
Tips for observing
The dusky grouper is not very shy and can be easily approached as long as no sudden movements are made.
Encounter with a dusky grouper
Encounter with a dusky grouper
The video gallery

A dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) waits under the shelter of a rocky overhang

Within the same genus
Speckledfin grouper (Epinephelus ongus)
Speckledfin grouper
(Epinephelus ongus)
Red hind (Epinephelus guttatus)
Red hind
(Epinephelus guttatus)
Honeycomb grouper (Epinephelus merra)
Honeycomb grouper
(Epinephelus merra)
Greasy grouper (Epinephelus tauvina)
Greasy grouper
(Epinephelus tauvina)
Malabar grouper (Epinephelus malabaricus)
Malabar grouper
(Epinephelus malabaricus)
Potato grouper (Epinephelus tukula)
Potato grouper
(Epinephelus tukula)
Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus)
Nassau grouper
(Epinephelus striatus)
Red grouper (Epinephelus morio)
Red grouper
(Epinephelus morio)
Within the same family
Atlantic creolefish (Paranthias furcifer)
Atlantic creolefish
(Paranthias furcifer)
Pacific creolefish (Cephalopholis colonus)
Pacific creolefish
(Cephalopholis colonus)
Coney (Cephalopholis fulva)
Coney
(Cephalopholis fulva)
Highfin coral grouper (Plectropomus oligacanthus)
Highfin coral grouper
(Plectropomus oligacanthus)
Tomato grouper (Cephalopholis sonnerati)
Tomato grouper
(Cephalopholis sonnerati)
Coral grouper (Cephalopholis miniata)
Coral grouper
(Cephalopholis miniata)
Graysby (Cephalopholis cruentata)
Graysby
(Cephalopholis cruentata)
Redmouth grouper (Aethaloperca rogaa)
Redmouth grouper
(Aethaloperca rogaa)
Explore also
Azure damselfish (Chrysiptera hemicyanea)
Azure damselfish
(Chrysiptera hemicyanea)
Reticulated damselfish (Dascyllus reticulatus)
Reticulated damselfish
(Dascyllus reticulatus)
Cottonwick grunt (Haemulon melanurum)
Cottonwick grunt
(Haemulon melanurum)
Exquisite fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus exquisitus)
Exquisite fairy wrasse
(Cirrhilabrus exquisitus)
Ocean tang (Acanthurus bahianus)
Ocean tang
(Acanthurus bahianus)
Blacklip butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii)
Blacklip butterflyfish
(Chaetodon kleinii)
Rudderfish (Naucrates ductor)
Rudderfish
(Naucrates ductor)
John dory (Zeus faber)
John dory
(Zeus faber)
The marine species from Mediterranean sea
Bluestriped light bulb tunicate (Clavelina dellavallei)
Bluestriped light bulb tunicate
(Clavelina dellavallei)
Five-spotted wrasse (Symphodus roissali)
Five-spotted wrasse
(Symphodus roissali)
Fried egg jellyfish (Cotylorhiza tuberculata)
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(Cotylorhiza tuberculata)
John dory (Zeus faber)
John dory
(Zeus faber)
Mediterranean moray eel (Muraena helena)
Mediterranean moray eel
(Muraena helena)
Ornate wrasse (Thalassoma pavo)
Ornate wrasse
(Thalassoma pavo)
Spiny starfish (Marthasterias glacialis)
Spiny starfish
(Marthasterias glacialis)
Umbrella weed (Acetabularia acetabulum)
Umbrella weed
(Acetabularia acetabulum)

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