A New Species of Grouper (Epinephelus; Epinephelidae) from the Indo-Pacific
A new species of Indo-Pacific grouper is described from nine specimens, 165–391 mm in SL. Epinephelus kupangensis, new species, is similar in appearance to, and has been treated as, Epinephelus amblycephalus (Bleeker, 1857). The two species are both found in deep waters of the Indo-Pacific and have overlapping ranges in eastern Indonesia, and likely beyond. Epinephelus kupangensis, new species, can be distinguished from Epinephelus amblycephalus on the basis of coloration, counts, and measurements. The species is characterized by the following set of characters: dorsal rays XI, 16; anal rays III, 8; pelvic rays I, 5; pectoral rays 18; caudal rays 18; caudal fin rounded; gill rakers 8+16; lateral line scales 48; longitudinal scale series 99; body scales ctenoid; scales on head cycloid and particularly large in size on opercle; orbit diameter 5.1 in head; pelvic fin 4.0 in head; maxillary streak orange; color when freshly dead pale grayish brown with five dark brown bars; orange-brown spots present dorsally on head and at edges and within dark bars.
Epinephelus kupangensis. Top: holotype MZB 23005 (320 mm TL), Sahul Banks, Timor Sea. Middle: paratype MZB 23006 (366 mm TL), Sahul Banks, Timor Sea. Bottom: paratype MZB 23008 (385 mm TL), purchased at a fish market in Kupang, Indonesia. Lower pane shows fish freshly caught; top two panes show fish in a more advanced state of decomposition. The pale patch on the “cheek” of the fish in mid-pane is an artifact of the dead fish in contact with a surface and not a true color characteristic of the species. The enlarged abdomen in the top pane is a result of an overinflated swim bladder, and the indentation on the head is likely a result of damage to the specimen after landing. This is the only specimen we have noted with a pronounced depression on the dorsal part of the head.
Epinephelus amblycephalus. Top: freshly collected specimen 325 mm SL, Bali, Indonesia, courtesy of Australian National Fish Collection. Bottom: specimen of unknown size (approx. 350 mm SL) from Pilbara, Western Australia, several hours after death, courtesy of Stephen Newman, CSIRO. In the top pane, the distinct light colored “U” producing a saddle is visible across the nape.
Contributor Notes
Associate Editor: D. Buth.