Squaretail Coralgrouper

Appearance

Whitish to pale gray with numerous small dark-edged blue spots on head, body and fins. Frequently with 4-5 dark blotches forming saddles on back.

Dorsal spines (total): 7 - 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. This species is distinguished by the following characters: body elongate and robust, depth 2.9-3.9 in SL; preopercle broadly rounded, with 3 large, ventrally-directed spines along lower half; opercle with 3 flat spines, the upper and lower spines covered by skin; nostrils subequal, set in a shallow groove running forward from eye; large canine teeth at front of jaws; 1-4 large canines on side of lower jaw; gill rakers of first gill arch 0-2 + 2-7; caudal fin truncate to slightly emarginate, the caudal concavity more than 13 times in HL; pectoral-fin rays 15-16, 2.0-2.3 in HL; lateral-line scales 83-97. Colour whitish to pale grey color, with numerous round to oval dark-edged blue spots (the largest about equal to pupil); most spots within a spot diameter of adjacent spots; head, body, and median fins frequently with 4-5 dark blotches forming saddles on back (greenish grey); pelvic fins with dark brown to blackish membranes; rear margin of caudal fin with a white edge and often with a blackish submarginal band.

Naming

Also known as Squaretail coralgrouper.

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea to the Phoenix Islands and Samoa, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to Australia.

Status

IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable (VU) (A2bd); Date assessed: 17 November 2016

Behavior

Solitary.

Habitat

Coastal reefs, lagoons and outer reefs in 2-20 m.

Reproduction

The squaretail coralgrouper Plectropomus areolatus is a fast-growing, early maturing and relatively short-lived aggregation-spawning epinephelid.

Food

Adults feed exclusively on fishes.