Young Epinephelus Marginatus

We met this young Epinephelus marginatus along the cliff in front of Castiglioncello, a famous seaside resort in the province of Livorno, during one of the scuba diving. The Epinephelus marginatus is inside its den and does not seem at all intimidated by the presence of the diver and his video equipment; on the contrary, it shows a certain curiosity, even if it is ready to flee to the most inaccessible part of the den, to see what can happen. Giovane Cernia Bruna intotheblue.it

Recall that the Epinephelus marginatus is a fish belonging to the family Serranidae, hermaphrodite proterogino who lives long, some estimate over 50 years, and become male around 12 years. Therefore all specimens of great size are male.

The presence of this fish highlights a good state of health of the sea and for us scuba divers is always good news.

Many serranid species are brightly colored, and many of the larger species are caught commercially for food. They are usually found over reefs, in tropical to subtropical waters along the coasts. Serranids are generally robust in form, with large mouths and small spines on the gill coverings. They typically have several rows of sharp teeth, usually with a pair of particularly large,canine-like teeth projecting from the lower jaw.

All serranids are carnivorous. Although some species, especially in the Anthiadinae subfamily, only feed on zooplankton, the majority feed on fish and crustaceans. They are typically ambush predators, hiding in cover on the reef and darting out to grab passing prey. Their bright colours are most likely a form of disruptive camouflage, similar to the stripes of a tiger.

Many species are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning they start out as females and change sex to male later in life. They produce large quantities of eggs and their larvae are planktonic, generally at the mercy of ocean currents until they are ready to settle into adult populations.

Typically groupers live in their lair, where they feel safe, and go out to get food and check the territory. Giovane Cernia Bruna intotheblue.it