Related FAQs: Basses of the genus Mycteroperca, Related Articles: Basses, /A Diversity of Aquatic Life The Basses of the Genus Mycteroperca
Bob Fenner	Mycteroperca tigris BON

Species/Notes of Interest to Aquarists:

Of the fifteen described species of this genus of basses only a few make their way into our captive aquatic worlds. Most just get way too big for hobby systems, though as juveniles they're attractive and intelligent...

Mycteroperca bonaci Poey 1860, the Black Grouper. Tropical west Atlantic into the Gulf of Mexico. To more than four feet in length. An occasional "accidental" offering out of the TWA. Adult images from the Bahamas below.

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Mycteroperca interstitialis (Poey 1860), the Yellowmouth Grouper. Yet another misplaced bass in the trade. Infrequently collected in the tropical west Atlantic as attractive juveniles, they grow to more than thirty inches in length. Six and twelve inch individuals in the Bahamas shown.

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Mycteroperca jordani (Jenkins & Evermann 1889), the Gulf Grouper. A food and game fish and upper reef predator from the tropical eastern Pacific. To over five feet in length. Tasty, but too large for aquarium use.

Mycteroperca olfax (Jenyns 1840), the Bacalao. Recorded from Cocos (Costa Rica) and Galapagos. To 120 cm. in length. Two foot specimen of Galapagos.

Mycteroperca phenax Jordan & Swain 1884, the Scamp. West Atlantic. To about a meter in length. One foot specimen off of Cozumel.

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Mycteroperca rosacea (Streets 1877), the Leopard and Golden Grouper. Tropical eastern Pacific. To twenty eight inches in length. Prized for its xanthic golden morph, this bass is a case study in collective hunting prowess. Nighttime normal color variety and cast of golden shown.

Mycteroperca tigris (Valenciennes 1833), the Tiger Grouper. Tropical west Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. To more than three feet in length. This handsome species is entirely piscivorous. Smaller individual in Grand Turks, older ones in Bahamas and Bonaire below.

Verticals (Full/Cover Page Sizes Available)

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Mycteroperca venenosa (Linnaeus 1758), the Yellowfin Grouper. Tropical West Atlantic. To a meter in length. Comes in a few color, pattern varieties. Pectoral fins with last third bright yellow; dorsal blotches rounded in appearance; tail w/ thin black, irregular margin. This one off Cancun, Mexico.

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Bibliography/Further Reading:

Kerstitch, Alex. 1986. The golden grouper, Mycteroperca rosacea. FAMA 2/86.

Thomson, Donald A., Lloyd T. Findley & Alex N. Kerstitch.1979. Reef Fishes of the Sea of Cortez. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 302pp.