FamilyEpinephelidaeAlso known asAtlantic goliath grouper (incorrect), Cherna criolla, MeroDescriptionA stout-bodied grouper of Caribbean and western Atlantic reefs that feeds on fishes and crustaceans. It is recognized by its tan-to-cream body with dark vertical bars, a dark stripe running through the eye, and a pattern of black spots around the eye. It often shelters in reef crevices and ledges and forms large spawning aggregations.HabitatCoral reefs and rocky ledges from shallow water to about 100 m depth. Found in the Caribbean, Bahamas, Florida and Bermuda, and the wider tropical western Atlantic.Conservation statusCritically EndangeredNotesThe image is a close-up of the fish's head and front body, with a black letterbox bar across the top. The lighting is dark and vignetted. The ID rests on the barred body pattern, the striped forehead and the black spots below the eye. A small yellowish fish, likely a snapper or grunt, is partly visible at the upper left.Creatures detected4 in frame- Nassau grouperfish
- small yellowish reef fish (possibly yellowtail snapper)fish
- small sponge or coral growthinvertebrate
- reddish algae or sponge on reefplant_algae
