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Nassau Grouper
description
Transcript of Nassau Grouper
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
Family Serranidae
• Distinguishing characteristics – All carniverous– Typically ambush predators – Even brightly colored species are camouflaged
Diet
• Only the largest reef predators can eat the Nassau Grouper – Sharks– Barracudas– humans
• Completely carnivorous– Fish– Crabs– Whatever can fit inside their mouth
Habitat, where are they found
We will see them in Hol Chan (marine protected area) on the last day.
Size/structure
• About 5 olive stripes • Very large• Large mouth
spawning
• Travel to specific locations for spawning aggregations
• December during the full moon at dusk
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.
Sex change
• Begin life as females• Change to males later
Fishing and endangerment
Ocean Surgeonfish
Acanthurus bahianus
• Phylum Chordata – Subphylum vertebrata• Superclass gnathostomata
– Class osteichthyes» Subclass actinopterygii
• Infraclass teleostei• Superorder acanthopterygii
• Order perciformes• Family Acanthuridae
Family Acanthuridae
• Mostly reef fishes• Scalpel-like spines• Thorn tails• Small mouths with single rows of teeth for
grazing on algae
Habitat
Diet
• All acanthurids can eat algae with their specialized scraping mouths
• Ocean surgeonfish can break down coral in their muscular stomachs