Epinephelus goreensis (VALENCIENNES, 1830)

Heemstra, P. C., 1991, A Taxonomic Revision Of The Eastern Atlantic Groupers (Pisces: Serranidae), Bol. Mus. Mun. Funchal 43 (226), pp. 5-71 : 30-33

Epinephelus goreensis (VALENCIENNES, 1830)

Fig. 9

Serranus goreensis VALENCIENNES , in Cuv. & VAL., 1830: 511 (type locality, Gorée [Dakar] Senegal; syntypes MNHN 7323 (321 s. 427 mm.), MNHN 7324 (224 mmj); STEINDACHNER, 1882: 6, Pl. 1, Fig. 2 .

Epinephelus goreensis : BOULENGER, 1895: 204; CADENAT, 1935: 397, Fig. 10 (from STEINDACHNER, 1882).

Diagnosis: Dorsal fin XI, 16; anal fin III,8; pectoral fin rays 17- 19; lateral-line scales 68-74; lateral scale series 120- 129; gill-rakers 8-9 + 16- 17, including 2-7 rudiments on each limb. Body depth distinctly less than head length, contained 2.9-3.2 times in SL (for fish 22-42 cm. SL); head length 2.5 -2.7 times in SL; pectoral fins usually longer than pelvics, 1.8-2.1 times in head length. Caudal fin truncate or slightly convex in juveniles, becoming concave in adults larger than 40 cm. SL; dorsal fin with the third or fourth spine longest and the interspinous membranes distinctly incised.

Interorbital area flat or slightly convex; preopercle angular, with 3 or 4 enlarged serrae at the angle, the lowermost directed ventrally; middle and lower opercular spines distinct, the upper spine not apparent; upper edge of operculum straight or slightly convex. Maxilla reaches vertical at rear edge of eye; no step on ventral edge of maxilla; maxilla naked or with a few minute scales dorsally; midlateral part of lower jaw with 2 rows of teeth. Rear nostril diameter about twice that of front ones. Lateral body scales ctenoid; no auxiliary scales. Pyloric caeca 13, long and slender.

Colour: Head and body brownish; juveniles with 3 or 4 broad, oblique, dark bars usually visible on dorsal part of body and another on dorsal half of peduncle; 2 narrow, faint dark bands extending posteriorly from lower half of eye; dark moustache streak present, but not extending past rear end of maxilla. The dark markings on juveniles are probably not visible on large adults.

Maximum size, at least 55 cm. total length.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION

E. goreensis is known from Sénégal to southern Angola, and it has also been reported from the Canary and Cape Verde Islands.

REMARKS

POLL (1954) reported this species from a variety of habitats (rock, mud and sand) at depths of 80- 100 m.

E. goreensis is most similar to E. costae ; see the Remarks section of the account of E. costae (above) for a comparison of these two species.

E. goreensis is readily separated from E. caninus , which has only 13 or 14 dorsal fin rays and usually a larger head (2.3 -2.5 times in SL).

In addition to the characters in the key to eastern Atlantic species of groupers (see above), E. goreensis differs from E. marginatus in having more lower-limb gill--rakers (16- 17 versus 14 - 16), and a ventrally directed spine at the angle of the preopercle.

MATERIAL EXAMINED

SÉNÉGAL; Gomé (= Dakar ) MNHN 7323 (2, 320- 422 mm.), syntypes of Serranus goreensis VALENCIENNES ; MNHN 7324 (221 mm.), syntype of S. goreensis ; MNHN 1987- 1038 (222 mm.). TOGO: Le Nizery MNHN 1987- 1031 (237 mm.); MNHN 1937 - 1630 (230 mm.).

Figures

Fig. 9 - Epinephelus goreensis, 20 cm. SL, Sénégal (7), from STEINDACHNER. 1882.

Fig. 2-Cephalopholis nigri, about 20 cm. SL, Ghana from BOULENGER 1895,,

Fig. 10 - Epinephelus haifensis, 31 cm. SL, Angola, from POLL, 1954.