Atlantic goliath grouper

Epinephelus itajara · The Atlantic goliath grouper is one of the largest bony fish, living in the West Atlantic from Florida to Brazil, in the East Pacific, and off West Africa.

Also called Goliath grouper, Itajara, Jewfish.

Atlantic goliath grouper
Photo: Albert kok, CC BY-SA 3.0
Atlantic goliath grouper
Photo: Greg Grimes, CC BY-SA 2.0
Atlantic goliath grouper
Photo: Linie29, CC BY-SA 4.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderPerciformes
FamilyEpinephelidae
GenusEpinephelus
SpeciesEpinephelus itajara

Where it lives

Reefs, wrecks and mangroves from Florida to Brazil, and West Africa from Senegal to Congo.

Fun facts

  • This giant fish can grow up to 2.5 meters (8 feet) long and weigh as much as 363 kilograms (800 pounds).
  • Young goliath groupers can spend 5 to 6 years in mangrove nurseries before heading to deeper offshore reefs.
  • Young fish under 1 meter long have three to four faint vertical bars on their sides.
  • Besides slow-moving fish and crustaceans, this grouper may sometimes snap up an octopus or a young sea turtle.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).