Epinephelus

Epinephelus is a genus of marine, ray-finned fish, groupers from the subfamily Epinephelinae, part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. They are predatory fish, largely associated with reefs, and are found in tropical and subtropical seas throughout the world. They are important target species for fisheries.

==Characteristics== The fishes in the genus Epinephelus have elongated, subcylindrical bodies, which may be oblong or deep and compressed in shape. The depth of the body varies between 2.3 and 3.7 times the standard length and the head is usually around the same length as the body is deep. The preopercle can be rounded or angular and has a serrated rear edge with the serrations at the angle being enlarged to a lesser or greater extent. In a small number of species, serrations are small, and on the lower edge, they are covered by skin. Caniform teeth are found at the front of jaws, although these can be rather small in a few species. They do not have any obviously enlarged caniform teeth in the middle of the lower jaw. Teeth are on the roof of the mouth. In adults, the maxilla does not have a noticeable bony protrusion on the lower rear angle, although it can have a deep step or hook-like process, which is hidden by the upper lips, on the rear part of its lower edge. The dorsal fin normally contains 9 spines, although some species have 10, as well as 12 to 19 rays. The origin of the dorsal fin sits above the opercle and the soft rayed part is shorter than the spiny part. The anal fin contains three distinct spines and 7 to 10 soft rays. The pectoral fin is rounded, with its middle rays being longer than the others. The caudal fin may be rounded, truncated, or concave, contains eight branched rays and 8 to 10 fin rays, which are slender, unbranched, and unsegmented (referred to as "procurrent") fin rays at the leading edges of the caudal fin on the upper lobe and seven branched rays and 7 to 10 procurrent rays in the lower lobe. The body is covered in ctenoid or smooth scales.