Teleostei (teleosts) >
Perciformes/Serranoidei (Groupers) >
Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets)
Etymology: Hypoplectrus: Greek, hypo = under + Greek, plektron = sting, spur (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Cuvier.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 23 m (Ref. 9710), usually 3 - 17 m (Ref. 9761). Tropical
Western Central Atlantic: Bermuda, eastern Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 15.2 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 13442)
Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 16; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 7. Body creamy white to pale yellow with six brown bars (the first of which runs through the eye, the second broad at nape narrowing towards the insertion of the pelvic fin, the third very wide, the fourth to sixth as wide as the second and evenly spaced behind the third bar); head and body with blue lines; pelvic fins vary in color, from white to yellowish; pectoral fins clear; caudal peduncle occasionally with a saddle (Ref. 26407).
A solitary species (Ref. 26340) inhabiting rocky and coral reefs (Ref. 9710). Always found near cover (Ref. 9710).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Domeier, M.L., 1994. Speciation in the serranid fish Hypoplectrus. Bull. Mar. Sci. 54(1):103-141. (Ref. 26407)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30303)
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 25.3 - 28.2, mean 27.4 °C (based on 640 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01778 (0.00683 - 0.04629), b=3.03 (2.80 - 3.26), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.7 ±0.4 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 77.5 [43.0, 153.4] mg/100g; Iron = 0.65 [0.35, 1.22] mg/100g; Protein = 18 [16, 20] %; Omega3 = 0.126 [0.074, 0.208] g/100g; Selenium = 24 [13, 49] μg/100g; VitaminA = 91 [24, 390] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.29 [0.82, 1.97] mg/100g (wet weight);
