Mycteroperca acutirostris

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Bibliography

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	PERCIFORMES	SERRANIDAE

Scientific Name:

Mycteroperca acutirostris

Species Authority:

Valenciennes, 1828

Common Name/s:

English	–	Comb Grouper, Western Comb Grouper
French	–	Badeche Peigne
Spanish	–	Bonaci Rojo, Cherna Peineta, Cuna Negra

Synonym/s:

Epinephelus chalinius Cope, 1871

Epinephelus cuvieri Bleeker, 1875

Epinephelus undulosus (Valenciennes, 1828)

Serranus acutirostris Valenciennes, 1828

Serranus undulosus Valenciennes, 1828

Taxonomic Notes:

Easily misidentified in Brazil as M. rubra, which occurs in the Eastern Atlantic.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Assessed:	2008
Assessor/s:	Bertoncini, A.A., Gerhardinger, L.C., Sadovy, Y., Rocha, L., Choat, J.H., Ferreira, B. & Craig, M.
Reviewer/s:	Sadovy, Y. & Moss, K. (Grouper and Wrasse Red List Authority)
Justification: Mycteroperca acutirostris is listed as a species of Least Concern since it is widespread and common not currently in significant decline.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Mycteroperca acutirostris is distributed within the Western Atlantic, ranging from Texas (USA) and the northwestern Gulf of Mexico to Venezuela, including Bermuda, and central Brazil south to the state of Rio Grande do Sul (to around 28°S) (Carvalho-Filho 1999, Loebman and Vieira 2005). It has an apparently disjunct distribution, being absent from northeastern Brazil and most of the Caribbean. A report of this species (as Serranus acutirostris) from the Canary Islands (Spain) is probably a misidentification of Mycteroperca fusca.
Countries:	Native: Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Aruba; Bahamas; Bermuda; Brazil; Cayman Islands; Colombia; Cuba; Dominican Republic; Grenada; Guyana; Haiti; Jamaica; Mexico; Netherlands Antilles; Panama; Puerto Rico; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Trinidad and Tobago; United States; United States Minor Outlying Islands; Venezuela; Virgin Islands, British
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:	Native: Atlantic – southwest; Atlantic – western central
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	General In the coast of Brazil, it is more abundant in the rocky tropical and subtropical shores, from the state of Rio de Janeiro to Santa Catarina. Common throughout its range. Fisheries Comb grouper is important for small-scale artisanal fisheries as well as amateur fishing. It is common throughout its Brazilian range, but is regarded as a target of a “heavy” fishing pressure by Floeter et al. (2006). There is no comprehensive fishery data available for Mycteroperca acutirostris. Fisheries-independent data Densities in shallow rocky reefs in south Brazil obtained with UVC are in the order of 0.035/m² (A. Bertoncini unpub. data).
Population Trend:	Stable

Population:

General
In the coast of Brazil, it is more abundant in the rocky tropical and subtropical shores, from the state of Rio de Janeiro to Santa Catarina. Common throughout its range.

Fisheries
Comb grouper is important for small-scale artisanal fisheries as well as amateur fishing. It is common throughout its Brazilian range, but is regarded as a target of a “heavy” fishing pressure by Floeter et al. (2006). There is no comprehensive fishery data available for Mycteroperca acutirostris.

Fisheries-independent data
Densities in shallow rocky reefs in south Brazil obtained with UVC are in the order of 0.035/m² (A. Bertoncini unpub. data).

Population Trend:

Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	General Mycteroperca acutirostris is a reef-associated species. Juveniles inhabit turtle grass beds, mangrove areas, and shallow waters among soft corals and coral reefs. Adults are found on rocky bottoms with high relief. Easily found in groups of dozens of individuals. Juvenile (2 to 5 cm) are usually found among floating objects. Adults are often sighted in the water column predating on sardine schools. It reaches approximately 4 kg, although reports of specimens up to 10 kg do exist (Carvalho-Filho 1999, Gibran 2004). Juveniles found in intertidal rocky shores in tide pools in South Brazil (Barreiros et al. 2004). Sazima (2002) reports that comb grouper shows aggressive mimic behaviour of the wrasses Halichoeres poeyi. Feeding Reported to feed on plankton, sardines and squids, although systematic feeding studies are not available. Fisheries-dependent The species is a popular game fish in southern Brazil for both spear fishermen and rod-and-reel anglers. Fish of 4 to 7 kg are common, with the spear fishing record at 10.1 kg (Capt. Eduardo Baumeier pers. comm. 2001). Reproduction and maturity Preliminary results of reproductive biology (Gerhardinger, unpub. data) indicate that 2 kg fish are still juveniles. It is suggested that they spawn during spring time in Brazil (September-December) (Silvano et al. 2006).
Systems:	Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

General
Mycteroperca acutirostris is a reef-associated species. Juveniles inhabit turtle grass beds, mangrove areas, and shallow waters among soft corals and coral reefs. Adults are found on rocky bottoms with high relief. Easily found in groups of dozens of individuals. Juvenile (2 to 5 cm) are usually found among floating objects. Adults are often sighted in the water column predating on sardine schools. It reaches approximately 4 kg, although reports of specimens up to 10 kg do exist (Carvalho-Filho 1999, Gibran 2004). Juveniles found in intertidal rocky shores in tide pools in South Brazil (Barreiros et al. 2004). Sazima (2002) reports that comb grouper shows aggressive mimic behaviour of the wrasses Halichoeres poeyi.

Feeding
Reported to feed on plankton, sardines and squids, although systematic feeding studies are not available.

Fisheries-dependent
The species is a popular game fish in southern Brazil for both spear fishermen and rod-and-reel anglers. Fish of 4 to 7 kg are common, with the spear fishing record at 10.1 kg (Capt. Eduardo Baumeier pers. comm. 2001).

Reproduction and maturity
Preliminary results of reproductive biology (Gerhardinger, unpub. data) indicate that 2 kg fish are still juveniles. It is suggested that they spawn during spring time in Brazil (September-December) (Silvano et al. 2006).

Systems:

Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Fishing is the main known threat to Mycteroperca acutirostris (Floeter et al. 2006, Rocha and Costa 1999, Ferreira and Goncalves 1999). Disease events are reported from Southern Brazil, when large number of individuals died in summer months. However no further information is known. The species is a popular game fish in southern Brazil for both spear fishermen and rod-and-reel anglers.

Major Threat(s):

Fishing is the main known threat to Mycteroperca acutirostris (Floeter et al. 2006, Rocha and Costa 1999, Ferreira and Goncalves 1999). Disease events are reported from Southern Brazil, when large number of individuals died in summer months. However no further information is known. The species is a popular game fish in southern Brazil for both spear fishermen and rod-and-reel anglers.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Mycteroperca acutirostris occurs in several protected areas in Southern Brazil, where the minimum size of capture is 23 cm. Examples of marine protected areas are the Arvoredo Biological Marine Reserve and Laje de Santos Marine State Park. Also in protected areas in the Caribbean, Texas.

Conservation Actions:

Mycteroperca acutirostris occurs in several protected areas in Southern Brazil, where the minimum size of capture is 23 cm. Examples of marine protected areas are the Arvoredo Biological Marine Reserve and Laje de Santos Marine State Park. Also in protected areas in the Caribbean, Texas.

Bibliography [top]

	Barreiros, J.P., Bertoncini, A.A., Machado, L.F., Hostim-Silva, M.and Santos, R.S. 2004. Diversity and Seasonal Changes in the Ichthyofauna of Rocky Tidal Pools from Praia Vermelha and São Roque, Santa Catarina. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology 47((2)): 291-299. Carvalho-Filho, A. 1999. Peixes da Costa Brasiliera. Ed. Melro, Sao Paulo. Ferreira, C.E.L. and Goncalves, J.E.A. 1999. The unique Abrolhos reef formation (Brazil): need for specific management strategies. Coral Reefs 18: 352. Floeter, S.R., Halpern, B.S. and Ferreira, C.E.L. 2006. Effects of fishing and protection on Brazilian reef fishes. Froese, R. and Pauly, D. 2000. FishBase 2000: Concepts, design and data sources. Manila Available at: http://www.fishbase.org. Gibran, F.Z. 2004. Dying or Illness Feigning: An Unreported Feeding Tactic of the Comb Grouper Mycteroperca acutirostris (Serranidae) from the Southwest Atlantic. Copeia 2004((2)): 403-405. IUCN. 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 5 October 2008). Loebman, D. and Vieira, J.P. 2005.. Distribuição espacial das assembléias de peixes na Lagoa do Peixe, RS, Brasil. Revista Brasileira de Zoologia, Curitiba 22((3):): 667-675. Rocha, L.O.F. and Costa, P.A.S. 1999. Manual de Identificacao de Peixes Marinhos papa a Costa Central 2a Edicao Programa REVIZEE/SCORE-Central. REVIZEE/SCORE. Sazima, I. 2002b.. Juvenile snooks (Centropomidae) as mimics of mojarras (Gerreidae), with a review of aggressive mimicry in fishes. Environmental Biology of Fishes 65: 37-45. Silvano, R.A.M., MacCord, P.F.L., Lima, R.V. and Begossi, A. 2006.. When Does this Fish Spawn? Fishermen’s Local Knowledge of Migration and Reproduction of Brazilian Coastal Fishes. Environmental Biology of Fishes 76((2-4)): 371.

Barreiros, J.P., Bertoncini, A.A., Machado, L.F., Hostim-Silva, M.and Santos, R.S. 2004. Diversity and Seasonal Changes in the Ichthyofauna of Rocky Tidal Pools from Praia Vermelha and São Roque, Santa Catarina. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology 47((2)): 291-299.

Carvalho-Filho, A. 1999. Peixes da Costa Brasiliera. Ed. Melro, Sao Paulo.

Ferreira, C.E.L. and Goncalves, J.E.A. 1999. The unique Abrolhos reef formation (Brazil): need for specific management strategies. Coral Reefs 18: 352.

Floeter, S.R., Halpern, B.S. and Ferreira, C.E.L. 2006. Effects of fishing and protection on Brazilian reef fishes.

Froese, R. and Pauly, D. 2000. FishBase 2000: Concepts, design and data sources. Manila Available at: http://www.fishbase.org.

Gibran, F.Z. 2004. Dying or Illness Feigning: An Unreported Feeding Tactic of the Comb Grouper Mycteroperca acutirostris (Serranidae) from the Southwest Atlantic. Copeia 2004((2)): 403-405.

IUCN. 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed: 5 October 2008).

Loebman, D. and Vieira, J.P. 2005.. Distribuição espacial das assembléias de peixes na Lagoa do Peixe, RS, Brasil. Revista Brasileira de Zoologia, Curitiba 22((3):): 667-675.

Rocha, L.O.F. and Costa, P.A.S. 1999. Manual de Identificacao de Peixes Marinhos papa a Costa Central 2a Edicao Programa REVIZEE/SCORE-Central. REVIZEE/SCORE.

Sazima, I. 2002b.. Juvenile snooks (Centropomidae) as mimics of mojarras (Gerreidae), with a review of aggressive mimicry in fishes. Environmental Biology of Fishes 65: 37-45.

Silvano, R.A.M., MacCord, P.F.L., Lima, R.V. and Begossi, A. 2006.. When Does this Fish Spawn? Fishermen’s Local Knowledge of Migration and Reproduction of Brazilian Coastal Fishes. Environmental Biology of Fishes 76((2-4)): 371.

Citation:	Bertoncini, A.A., Gerhardinger, L.C., Sadovy, Y., Rocha, L., Choat, J.H., Ferreira, B. & Craig, M. 2008. Mycteroperca acutirostris. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 09 February 2012.
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