Epinephelus tuamotuensis

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:

Epinephelus tuamotuensis

Species Authority

Fourmanoir, 1971

Common Name/s:

English	–	Reticulate Grouper, Snakeskin Seabass
French	–	Merou Reseau
Spanish	–	Kito, Matuvi, Mero Reticular

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Assessed:	2008
Assessor/s	Rhodes, K., Kulbicki, M. & Heemstra, P.C.
Evaluator/s:	Sadovy, Y. & Moss, K. (Grouper and Wrasse Red List Authority)
Justification: Epinephelus tuamotuensis is limited in its distribution and only found in deep water. While additional information is needed on its population status, fishing impacts, and life history, there are no known immediate or projected threats, therefore the species is of Least Concern.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Epinephelus tuamotuensis is known only from the French Polynesia (Tuamoto Islands, Society Islands, Gambier Island, Rapa), the Pitcairn Group (Heemstra and Randall 1993, Randall 1999), and Raratonga in the Cook Islands (Mead 1983).
Countries:	Native: Cook Islands; French Polynesia; Kiribati; Pitcairn
FAO Marine Fishing Areas:	Native: Pacific – eastern central; Pacific – western central

Population [top]

Population:	There is no published information on the population status or life history of Epinephelus tuamotuensis.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Epinephelus tuamotuensis is a demersal species that inhabits the outer slope of coral reefs. Fourmanoir (1971) found ophichthid eels, Leiuranus phoenixensis, in the stomachs of his type specimens. May be of some importance to artisanal fisheries, but it is rarely caught because of its preference for deep water. Depths of capture (and presumably habitat) range from 120 to 250 m.
Systems:	Marine

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Epinephelus tuamotuensis is apparently narrowly distributed within the Pacific and is found within a relatively confined depth strata. The species can be caught by deepwater handlining (>200 m), as demonstrated during a 1983 longlining experiment conducted in the Cook Islands by the South Pacific Commission (Mead 1983). However, these practices are unlikely to be conducted on a large-scale as long as other less costly and less labor-intensive methods remain viable for procuring fish. Some individuals may be captured by artisanal fishing, however, there are no known systematic fisheries records for this species to establish fisheries or population trends.

Major Threat(s):

Epinephelus tuamotuensis is apparently narrowly distributed within the Pacific and is found within a relatively confined depth strata. The species can be caught by deepwater handlining (>200 m), as demonstrated during a 1983 longlining experiment conducted in the Cook Islands by the South Pacific Commission (Mead 1983). However, these practices are unlikely to be conducted on a large-scale as long as other less costly and less labor-intensive methods remain viable for procuring fish. Some individuals may be captured by artisanal fishing, however, there are no known systematic fisheries records for this species to establish fisheries or population trends.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	There are some indirect conservation measures in place for Epinephelus tuamotuensis within its distributional range, such as the protection provided through the UNESCO world heritage site at Henderson Island. No other protective measures are known within the species range.

Conservation Actions:

There are some indirect conservation measures in place for Epinephelus tuamotuensis within its distributional range, such as the protection provided through the UNESCO world heritage site at Henderson Island. No other protective measures are known within the species range.

Citation:	Rhodes, K., Kulbicki, M. & Heemstra, P.C. 2008. Epinephelus tuamotuensis. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 23 November 2008.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the Copyright and Data Disclaimer.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided