Comet grouper
Encyclopedia
The comet grouper or blue grouper (Epinephelus morrhua) is a deep water fish found from the Red Sea
and eastern Africa
to the central Pacific Ocean
. It is found near coral reef
s at depths from 80 to 370 m (260-890 feet) and is non-migratory
. It is sometimes confused with its relatives E. poecilonotus, E. radiatus, and E. tuamotoensis. Although it is reported to be a gamefish, it is not commonly seen in markets. It has also been associated with ciguatera
poisoning.
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
and eastern Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
to the central Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. It is found near coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
s at depths from 80 to 370 m (260-890 feet) and is non-migratory
Fish migration
Many types of fish migrate on a regular basis, on time scales ranging from daily to annually or longer, and over distances ranging from a few metres to thousands of kilometres...
. It is sometimes confused with its relatives E. poecilonotus, E. radiatus, and E. tuamotoensis. Although it is reported to be a gamefish, it is not commonly seen in markets. It has also been associated with ciguatera
Ciguatera
Ciguatera is a foodborne illness caused by eating certain reef fishes whose flesh is contaminated with toxins originally produced by dinoflagellates such as Gambierdiscus toxicus which lives in tropical and subtropical waters. These dinoflagellates adhere to coral, algae and seaweed, where they are...
poisoning.