The black grouper is a large heavy fish with a lower jaw. Its body is long shaped. The caudal fin is square shaped and the dorsal fin has 11 spines. The black grouper has olive or gray body color with dark rectangle spots. The front teeth are big, like canine teeth. Black groupers have several sets of strong slender teeth that are for grabbing. These teeth do not tear fish but prevent small fish from escape.

 

Black groupers can grow up to 52 inches and weigh up to 179 pounds they can live over 30 years. Most of the growth happens in the first 10 years. Adult groupers feed on other small reef fishes like grunts, snapper, and herrings. They also eat crabs.

 

The black grouper is found throughout the western Atlantic Ocean. They can also be found off Massachusetts and as far south as southern Brazil. They are also found in The Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea including the Florida Keys and Cuba. Groupers live mainly on rocky bottoms and in coral reefs. Baby groupers are also found in seagrass beds off the coast of Florida.

 

The black grouper is caught for sale but also for sea fishing. It is not currently considered endangered although it is vulnerable because it is a slow breeder. They show up between May and August. If the black grouper does not make babies they might go extinct.

 

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Sources: htt://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/perciformes www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/gallery/descript/ black grouper/blackgrouper.html

 

Photo Credit: http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/2008/07/080708171539-large.jpg