Epinephelus cifuentesi

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	PERCIFORMES	SERRANIDAE

Scientific Name:

Epinephelus cifuentesi

Species Authority:

Lavenberg & Grove, 1993

Infra-specific Taxa Assessed:

See Epinephelus cifuentesi (Galápagos Islands subpopulation)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Olive Grouper
French	–	Merou Poule, Mérou Poule
Spanish	–	Cabrilla Gallina, Gallina, Norteno

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Near Threatened ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

Rocha, L., Ferreira, B., Choat, J.H., Craig, M. & Sadovy, Y.

Reviewer/s:

Sadovy, Y. & Moss, K. (Grouper and Wrasse Red List Authority)

Justification:
Epinephelus cifuentesi is listed as Near Threatened because of its restricted range (six locations) and vulnerability to fishing pressure, particularly should it intensify in the future. At present, it appears not to be specifically targeted by the fisheries (probably because of low density following recent declines), however it may be targeted again in the future.

History:

2004

–

Not Evaluated

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Epinephelus cifuentesi is an eastern Pacific species found only in the Galápagos Islands, Isla del Cocos (Costa Rica), and off the coast of Costa Rica (Heemstra and Randall 1993), as well as the Gulf of Tehuantepec (Mexico) (M. Craig pers. comm.) and a single record (148 mm SL and 78 g) from a market in Ecuador (Bearez and Jimenez Prado 2003).
Countries:	Native: Colombia; Costa Rica; Ecuador
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:	Native: Pacific – southeast; Pacific – eastern central
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	General Epinephelus cifuentesi is common but declining in the Galapagos and rare elsewhere in its range. It is more common in the northern Galapagos. Fishery-dependent Galápagos Annual landings of E. cifuentesi decreased from the peak at 14.0 tonnes in 1998 to an average of 2.7 tonnes annually from 2000 to 2003 (Nicolaides et al. 2002, Murillo et al. 2002) (see Table 1). Follow the link below for: Table 1: The volume (in tonnes of live weight) of E. cifuentesi in the Marine Reserve in Galápagos between 1997 and 2001. Table 2: The number, amount (in kg) and percentage of E. cifuentesi landed in the three main ports in Galápagos in 2003. For further information about this species, see 44686.pdf. A PDF viewer such as Adobe Reader is required.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Population:

General
Epinephelus cifuentesi is common but declining in the Galapagos and rare elsewhere in its range. It is more common in the northern Galapagos.

Fishery-dependent
Galápagos
Annual landings of E. cifuentesi decreased from the peak at 14.0 tonnes in 1998 to an average of 2.7 tonnes annually from 2000 to 2003 (Nicolaides et al. 2002, Murillo et al. 2002) (see Table 1).

Follow the link below for:
Table 1: The volume (in tonnes of live weight) of E. cifuentesi in the Marine Reserve in Galápagos between 1997 and 2001.
Table 2: The number, amount (in kg) and percentage of E. cifuentesi landed in the three main ports in Galápagos in 2003.

For further information about this species, see 44686.pdf.

A PDF viewer such as Adobe Reader is required.

Population Trend:

Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Epinephelus cifuentesi is found on rocky reefs usually in deeper waters (40 to 120 m). Epinephelus cifuentesi reaches about 100 cm TL in Galápagos (Heemstra and Randall 1993).
Systems:	Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The primary threat to Epinephelus cifuentesi is overfishing, particularly in the Galápagos Islands where it was the second most commonly-landed species. At present the fisheries have shifted effort to sea cucumbers, however, it may possibly shift back to this species in the future.

Major Threat(s):

The primary threat to Epinephelus cifuentesi is overfishing, particularly in the Galápagos Islands where it was the second most commonly-landed species. At present the fisheries have shifted effort to sea cucumbers, however, it may possibly shift back to this species in the future.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Epinephelus cifuentesi occurs in some protected areas in the Galápagos. The geographical dispersal of Epinephelus cifuentesi is very limited and its biological information is virtually unknown. More information on its present abundance, biology, age-and-growth and management practices is recommended before it disappears due to unsustainable exploitation.

Conservation Actions:

Epinephelus cifuentesi occurs in some protected areas in the Galápagos.

The geographical dispersal of Epinephelus cifuentesi is very limited and its biological information is virtually unknown. More information on its present abundance, biology, age-and-growth and management practices is recommended before it disappears due to unsustainable exploitation.

Citation:	Rocha, L., Ferreira, B., Choat, J.H., Craig, M. & Sadovy, Y. 2008. Epinephelus cifuentesi. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2012.
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