Epinephelus diacanthus (Valenciennes, 1828)
Spinycheek grouper
Epinephelus diacanthus
photo by Randall, J.E.

Family:  Epinephelidae (Groupers)
Max. size:  55 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 2 - 300 m
Distribution:  Indian Ocean: continental shelf of the northern Indian Ocean from the Gulf of Aden to Sri Lanka and Madras, India. Not known from the Persian Gulf nor the Red Sea. Records from the western Pacific are based on misidentifications of Epinephelus stictus or Epinephelus fasciatomaculos.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-17; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-8
Biology:  Occurs over muddy sand or mud substrata and caught in depths of 63 to 100 m off the Kerala coast. Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 9773.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 20 November 2016 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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