Mycteroperca rubra

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	PERCIFORMES	SERRANIDAE

Scientific Name:

Mycteroperca rubra

Species Authority

Bloch, 1793

Common Name/s:

English	–	Comb Grouper, Mottled Grouper, Rockfish
French	–	Badeche Peigne, Badeche Rouge
Spanish	–	Abade, Cuna Negra, Gitano, Mero, Merou Royal

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

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

Evaluator/s:

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

Justification:
Mycteroperca rubra is listed as a species of Least Concern since it is very widespread with a considerable depth range and not specifically targeted by any fishery because of its rarity. The species is not currently considered to be in significant decline.

History:

1996

–

Data Deficient (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Mycteroperca rubra is an eastern Atlantic species that occurs throughout the Mediterranean from Portugal to southern Angola; there are some reports from islands that require confirmation. Specimens from Madeira and the Azores (Portugal), Canary Islands (Spain), and Cape Verde have been examined by Heemstra (1991) and are identified to be Mycteroperca fusca. The species is replaced by Mycteroperca acutirostris in the western Atlantic. First recorded occurrence in the Adriatic Sea (Glamuzina et al. 2002).
Countries:	Native: Albania; Algeria; Angola; Benin; Cameroon; Congo; Congo, The Democratic Republic of the; Cyprus; Côte d'Ivoire; Egypt; Equatorial Guinea; Gabon; Gambia; Ghana; Gibraltar; Greece; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Israel; Italy; Lebanon; Liberia; Libyan Arab Jamahiriya; Malta; Mauritania; Morocco; Nigeria; Portugal; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Spain; Syrian Arab Republic; Togo; Tunisia; Turkey; Western Sahara
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:	Native: Atlantic – southeast; Atlantic – eastern central; Mediterranean and Black Sea

Population [top]

Population:	General Mycteroperca rubra is a widespread, but generally uncommon species. It does appear commonly along the coast of Senegal (Seret 1981), but is rare in Tunisia (Bouain et al. 1983). Fisheries-dependent data Siau and Bouain (1983) report that fewer than two specimens occur in markets at Sfax (Tunisia) annually. Fisheries independent USA Follow the link below for Table 1: sighting frequency of M. rubra in tropical western Atlantic (REEF data). For further information about this species, see 14054.pdf. A PDF viewer such as Adobe Reader is required.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Population:

General
Mycteroperca rubra is a widespread, but generally uncommon species. It does appear commonly along the coast of Senegal (Seret 1981), but is rare in Tunisia (Bouain et al. 1983).

Fisheries-dependent data
Siau and Bouain (1983) report that fewer than two specimens occur in markets at Sfax (Tunisia) annually.

Fisheries independent
USA
Follow the link below for Table 1: sighting frequency of M. rubra in tropical western Atlantic (REEF data).

For further information about this species, see 14054.pdf.

A PDF viewer such as Adobe Reader is required.

Population Trend:

Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	General Mycteroperca rubra is a demersal species that occurs over rocky and sandy bottoms from 15 to 200 m (Heemstra and Randall 1993). Juveniles were found during construction of a new wharf in Catania harbor (Battiato 1983). Feeding Mycteroperca rubra feeds on mollusks (presumably cephalopods) and small fishes (Diatta et al. 2003, Freitas 1982). Reproduction Sex reversal for mottled grouper occurs at nine years old, 53 cm TL (Siau and Bouain 1994). Age and growth Siau and Bouain (1993) indicated that M. rubra began spawning at the end of spring in the Mediterranean, with sexual maturation and size and age of about 27 to 32 cm (TL) and 4 to 5 years.
Systems:	Marine

Habitat and Ecology:

General
Mycteroperca rubra is a demersal species that occurs over rocky and sandy bottoms from 15 to 200 m (Heemstra and Randall 1993). Juveniles were found during construction of a new wharf in Catania harbor (Battiato 1983).

Feeding
Mycteroperca rubra feeds on mollusks (presumably cephalopods) and small fishes (Diatta et al. 2003, Freitas 1982).

Reproduction
Sex reversal for mottled grouper occurs at nine years old, 53 cm TL (Siau and Bouain 1994).

Age and growth
Siau and Bouain (1993) indicated that M. rubra began spawning at the end of spring in the Mediterranean, with sexual maturation and size and age of about 27 to 32 cm (TL) and 4 to 5 years.

Systems:

Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Mycteroperca rubra is found in fisheries throughout its range, but is not commonly captured due to its rarity.

Major Threat(s):

Mycteroperca rubra is found in fisheries throughout its range, but is not commonly captured due to its rarity.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Mycteroperca rubra is presume to occur in several protected areas. In Turkey, there is a 30 cm minimum legal size.

Conservation Actions:

Mycteroperca rubra is presume to occur in several protected areas. In Turkey, there is a 30 cm minimum legal size.

Citation:	Rocha, L., Ferreira, B., Choat, J.H., Craig, M.T., Sadovy, Y. & Bertoncini, A.A. 2008. Mycteroperca rubra. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 20 November 2008.
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