Epinephelus haifensis BEN-TUVIA, 1953

Heemstra, P. C., 1991, A Taxonomic Revision Of The Eastern Atlantic Groupers (Pisces: Serranidae), Bol. Mus. Mun. Funchal 43 (226), pp. 5-71 : 33-34

Epinephelus haifensis BEN-TUVIA, 1953

Fig. 10

? Perca gigas BRUNNICII, 1768: 65 (type locality, Marseille; holotype not preserved)

? Cerna sicana DODERLEIN, 1882: 250 (Palermo, Sicily; holotype at MZUSP).

Epinephelus haifensis BEN-TUVIA, 1953: 21 , Fig. 14 (Mediterranean coast of Israel, off Caesarea, 120 fms.; holotype SFRS M411 (320 mm.)).

Epinephelus gigas : POLL, 1954: 62, Fig. 17, Pl. 3, Figs. 3,7 & 8.

Diagnosis: Dorsal fin XL, 14- 15; anal fin III,9; pectoral fin rays 18 -21; lateral-line scales 64-75; lateral scale series 104- 112; gill-rakers 7- 10 + 13- 15, including 2- 6 rudiments on each limb. Body deep, the greatest depth contained 2.4-2.8 times in SL (for fish 10-39 cm. SL); head large, the length contained 2.2-2.5 times in SL; pectoral fins length 1.4- 1.9 times in head length; pelvic fins subequal to pectorals, reaching to or beyond anus in fish of 10-30 cm. Caudal fin rounded; dorsal fin with the third or fourth spine longest, but distinctly shorter than the longest rays; interspinous membranes of dorsal fin deeply incised. Interorbital area convex; eye diameter greater than interorbital width in fish less than 30 cm. SL and distinctly less than interorbital width in a fish of 39 cm. SL. Preopercle with enlarged serrae at the angle, and 1 -6 small serrae (usually covered by skin) on ventral edge; opercular spines distinct; upper edge of operculum convex. Maxilla naked, usually not reaching past vertical at rear edge of eye; no step on ventral edge of maxilla; midlateral part of lower jaw with 2 rows of teeth, the inner teeth about twice as long as the outer ones. Rear nostrils 2 or 3 times larger than front ones. Lateral body scales ctenoid; no auxiliary scales. Pyloric caeca very numerous, forming a large dendritic mass.

Colour: Head and body dark brown; soft dorsal, caudal and anal fins blackish distally (where there are no scales), the basal (scaly) part of these fins not so dark; soft dorsal, caudal, anal and pectoral fins usually with white edge; pelvic fins blackish; prominent black streak on cheek at upper edge of maxilla.

Maximum size, 110 cm. total length, 25 kg. ( POLL, 1954).

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION

Eastern Mediterranean to southern Angola (14° S). I have examined specimens from the coasts of Israel, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroun, Congo and Angola.

REMARKS

Found on bottoms of mud, sand or rock in depths of 90-220 rn. POLL, 1954). In the literature on Mediterranean and west African groupers ( CADENAT, 1935; TORTONESE, 1970; BAUCHOT & PRAS, 1980; etc.) E. haifensis may have been confused with E. marginatus under the name of " Epinephelus guaza " or " Epinephelus gigas " Although only 19 specimens of E. haifensis have been examined, they all have 9 anal fin rays; whereas, 79 of the 80 specimens of E. marginatus that were counted have 8 anal fin rays. Consequently, references to E. guaza with 8 or 9 anal fin rays could apply to either or both species.

The species described as Perca gigas by BRÜNNICH (1768) may be the same as E. haifensis , but the pectoral fin count of 16 given by BRUNNICH is too low. and the colour description (" corporis ochraceus, obscuro fuscoque nebulosus ; caput subtus rubrum ut & pinnae pectorales extrorsum." [body yellowish, with indistinct dark blotches; lower part of head and margin of pectoral fins reddish]) is more similar to the colour pattern of E. marginatus . Without a type specimen, Perca gigas is probably best regarded as a nomen dubium.

The stuffed holotype of Cerna sicana DODERLEIN from Sicily has only 10 dorsal fin spines. TORTONESE (1956) redescribed this specimen and concluded that it was not the western Atlantic species E. nigritus , which normally has 10 dorsal fin spines. Except for having only 10 dorsal fin spines, this specimen fits the description of E. haifensis given above. Cerna sicana may represent a rare species with 10 dorsal fin spines that is known from only a single specimen, but it seems more likely that this holotype is simply an abnormal specimen of E. haifensis . Rather than use E. sicana as the valid name for a species that normally has 11 dorsal fin spines, Epinephelus haifensis is here accepted as the valid name for this species.

MATERIAL EXAMINED

MEDITERRANEAN: ISRAEL: ANSP 128518 (125 mm), paratype of E. haifensis ; BMNH 195.925.5 (100 mm); HUJ (147 mm); TAU 804 (81 mm); TAU 826 (100 mm); TAU 2275 (144 mm); USNM (117 mm.). EGYPT: TAU 8840 (90 mm.). EASTERN ATLANTIC: TOGO: MNHN 1987- 1034 (182 mm.). GULF OF GUINEA: RUSI 26548 (132 mm.). NIGERIA: UMML 21464 (187 mm.). CONGO: IRSNB 9521 (230 mm.); MNHN 1967-811 (223 mm.). ANGOLA: MB 2606 (140 mm.); MB 3053 (202 mm.); MB 118 (391 mm.); IRSNB 9522 (298 mm.); IRSNB 9523 (223 mm.).

Figures

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