About Epinephelus bleekeri (Vaillant, 1878)
Epinephelus bleekeri has an elongate body, with a standard length 3.0 to 3.5 times its depth. The angle of its preopercle holds 2 to 9 enlarged serrations, and adult individuals have a notch above this angle. The upper edge of the gill cover is straight. The dorsal fin has 11 spines and 16–18 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8–9 soft rays. The caudal fin is either truncate or rounded, and the pelvic fins are short. The background colour of the head and body is brownish, reddish brown, or purplish grey. Except for the underside, the whole body is covered in many reddish orange, gold, or yellow spots. The dorsal fin and the upper third of the caudal fin have the same spotting pattern as the body, while the rest of the caudal fin is dusky. In some individuals, the body spots have an indistinct dark margin. The pectoral and pelvic fins, as well as the outer part of the anal fin, are dusky. A dark moustache-like streak runs along the maxillary groove. Juveniles, which measure up to 11 centimetres (4.3 in) in standard length, have 7 faint dark bars on the upper body. The first two bars sit on the nape, and the last bar is on the caudal peduncle; all 7 bars have small dark spots along their margins. Juveniles do not have dark spots on their head or fins. The maximum recorded total length for this species is 76 centimetres (30 in). Epinephelus bleekeri is distributed across the Indo-Pacific region, ranging from the Persian Gulf to Taiwan, through Indonesia, to northern Australia. It is also found in the Solomon Islands. Its presence in Japan is unconfirmed, and the species is not found in Polynesia or Micronesia. In Australia, its range extends from Shark Bay, Western Australia, to the Cobourg Peninsula in the Northern Territory. Epinephelus bleekeri is a benthic species. It occurs on shallow banks, nearby areas with soft substrates, silty coastal reefs, and estuaries, at depths between 30 and 105 metres (98–344 ft).
