About Epinephelus spilotoceps Schultz, 1953
Epinephelus spilotoceps Schultz, 1953 has a standard length that is 3.1 to 3.6 times its body depth. It has a flat area between its eyes, and the dorsal profile of its head is convex. Its preopercle is rounded, marked by a shallow incision, and the serrations on the margin below this incision are enlarged. The upper margin of its gill cover is straight. The dorsal fin has 11 spines and 14 to 16 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays. Its caudal fin is rounded. The head and body of this fish are pale, and are mostly covered in numerous dark olive-brown to reddish-brown polygonal spots. These spots are set closely together, with pale spaces between them that form a reticulated pattern. There are four dark saddle-shaped blotches: three along the base of the dorsal fin, and one on the caudal peduncle. The outer portion of the pectoral fins is yellowish-green. This species reaches a maximum total length of 35 centimetres (14 in). Epinephelus spilotoceps is widely distributed across the Indo-West-Pacific. It occurs along the eastern coast of Africa from Kenya and Zanzibar to Ponta Zavora, Mozambique, and also lives on the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius, Comoros, Seychelles, Chagos, Maldives, Laccadives, Andaman Islands, and Nicobar Islands. Its range extends eastwards into the Malayan Archipelago, reaching as far east as Micronesia, the Line Islands, and the Cook Islands. It ranges south to the Great Barrier Reef and the northwestern coast of Australia. It is not found in the South China Sea or the Java Sea. With the exception of its coastal distribution off Eastern Africa, this species prefers habitats around islands. Epinephelus spilotoceps lives in shallow coral reefs, mainly occurring on patch reefs within lagoons, the upper slopes of channels that cut through reefs, and outer reef margins. It has been recorded on rubble patches in the Maldives, where it is mostly found near the edges of complex coral formations and stays close to these structures, avoiding open areas. In captivity, this species feeds on crustaceans and fish.
