Blue-and-yellow Groupe

Epinephelus flavocaeruleus, commonly called blue-and-yellow grouper, is a species of marine fish in the family Serranidae.

Description

The blue-and-yellow grouper is a middle sized fish, it can grow up to a maximum length of 90 cm but average size is usually around 45 cm. It has a massive body, compressed laterally and its global aspect is rounded. Adult, this grouper has a blue-grey background color, from an individual to another the background color intensity can vary from light blue-grey to dark blue, some grouper can also have grey glitters on the body, all the fins are yellow and a yellow mustache is present on the upper lip. The youth grouper has on the anterior part of its body a blue-grey color and the rest of the body is yellow.

Distribution & habitat

The blue-and-grey grouper is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean area from the eastern coast of Africa to the western islands of Indonesia, Red Sea and Persian Gulf excluded. Juvenile, this grouper lives close to shallow reefs while adults are found in deeper area up to 150 m depth but it always stay associated with the reef.

Biology

Epinephelus flavocaeruleus is solitary and sedentary, it's defending a well bounded territory. It hunts from a hide its preys rather at dusk. Like other groupers, it's carnivorous and its diet is mainly many different fishes, crustaceans and squids.