A Taxonomic Revision Of The Eastern Atlantic Groupers (Pisces: Serranidae) Author Heemstra, P. C. text Bol. Mus. Mun. Funchal 1991 1991-08-10 43 226 5 71 journal article 298660 10.5281/zenodo.12168227 178ed053-7081-4927-96dd-277fa0d92e5e 0870-3876 12168227 0B825DE6-91A2-4306-B6CB-FC2CB31721F0 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 .).