High dark body and rounded head. Body colour variable but usually darker than M. macularis (Midnight Snapper) with which it often mixes, and has dull rather than golden iris, also lacks yellow and blue markings on head. Juveniles also very similar to those of M. macularis, black with two white stripes along body, one on side and one on belly, and white blotches on back, but M. niger has five or fewer blotches and a vertical band behind head and one on snout. Very young juveniles white with black blotches.

• Max Size: 75 cm
• Sea Temperature Range: 23.1-31.3°C
• Depth: 2-90 m
• Habitat: Coral Reef
• Habitat Generalisation Index: 14.2
  Also referred to as the SGI (Species generalisation index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here

• IUCN Threat Status: Not Evaluated
• Occurrence: Frequent (20% of sites)
  Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
• Abundance: Few (4 per transect)
  Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.