Nassau Grouper

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Nassau Grouper Epinephelus striatus

description

Nassau Grouper. Epinephelus striatus. Almost always 5-6 olive stripes 4 feet long. Phylum Chordata Subphylum vertebrata Superclass gnathostomata Class osteichthyes Subclass actinopterygii Infraclass teleostei Superorder acanthopterygii Order perciformes Family Serranidae. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Transcript of Nassau Grouper

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Nassau Grouper

Epinephelus striatus

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• Almost always 5-6 olive stripes• 4 feet long

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• Phylum Chordata – Subphylum vertebrata• Superclass gnathostomata

– Class osteichthyes» Subclass actinopterygii

• Infraclass teleostei• Superorder acanthopterygii

• Order perciformes• Family Serranidae

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Family Serranidae

• Distinguishing characteristics – All carniverous– Typically ambush predators – Even brightly colored species are camouflaged

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Diet

• Only the largest reef predators can eat the Nassau Grouper – Sharks– Barracudas– humans

• Completely carnivorous– Fish– Crabs– Whatever can fit inside their mouth

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Habitat, where are they found

We will see them in Hol Chan (marine protected area) on the last day.

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Size/structure

• About 5 olive stripes • Very large• Large mouth

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spawning

• Travel to specific locations for spawning aggregations

• December during the full moon at dusk

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Spawning color change

• Normal- typical coloration present in early morning

• Bicolor- upper sides of fish become dark and lower side is light in late afternon

• White belly- some females retain normal color but their abdomens turn white

• Dark- spawning and courting fish turn completely dark. This indicates that they are ready to spawn.

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Sex change

• Begin life as females• Change to males later

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Fishing and endangerment

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Ocean Surgeonfish

Acanthurus bahianus

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• Phylum Chordata – Subphylum vertebrata• Superclass gnathostomata

– Class osteichthyes» Subclass actinopterygii

• Infraclass teleostei• Superorder acanthopterygii

• Order perciformes• Family Acanthuridae

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Family Acanthuridae

• Mostly reef fishes• Scalpel-like spines• Thorn tails• Small mouths with single rows of teeth for

grazing on algae

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Habitat

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Diet

• All acanthurids can eat algae with their specialized scraping mouths

• Ocean surgeonfish can break down coral in their muscular stomachs