Plectropomus pessuliferus

Roving coralgrouper | Leopard Grouper | Violet Coral Trout
Plectropomus pessuliferus
Plectropomus pessuliferus, Jordan, Photo: Graham Edgar
Plectropomus pessuliferus
Plectropomus pessuliferus, Red Sea, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
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Plectropomus pessuliferus
Plectropomus pessuliferus

Distribution

Tropical Indo-Pacific


Description

Body brown to orange-red, scattering of dark edged blue spots over head, body and fins, sometimes becoming vertically elongate on sides. Red Sea population can be found in shallow waters but normally found below 25m. Length to 63cm.


Information

Max Size: 120 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 21.4-31.2°C

Depth: 3-147m

Habitat Generalization Index: N/A

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.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Near Threatened

Occurrence: Rare (0.4% 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 (2 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: Joe Shields