Mycteroperca microlepis

Body depth distinctly less than head length, 3.0 to 3.5 times in st andard length (for fish 12 to 26 cm st andard length). Interorbital convex. Adults (larger than 60 cm) with posterior nostrils much larger than anterior ones; preopercle corner of adults with rounded lobe bearing enlarged serrae. Dorsal fin with 11 spines and 16 to 18 soft rays, third or fourth spines longest, interspinous membranes distinctly incised. Anal fin with 3 spines and 10 to 12 soft rays; dorsal and anal fins rounded at all sizes; no exserted fin rays. Caudal fin truncate in juveniles, emarginate in large adults. Pectoral-fin rays 16 to 18. Lateral body scales smooth, except those c overed by pectoral fin; lateral-scale se- ries 128 to 146; lateral-line scales 88 to 96. Colour: variable, adult females and juveniles gener ally brownish grey with darker vermiculations; a resting or ‘camouflage phase’ shows 5 dark brown saddles separated by short white bars below the dorsal fin; this pattern is characteristic of fish that are sitting on the bottom. Unlike the camouflage phase, the ‘black-belly’ and ‘black-back’ phases are not ephemeral and are displayed only by large adults (males). The black-belly phase is mostly pale grey, with faint dark reticulations below soft dorsal fin; the belly and ventral part of body above anal fin are black, as are the margin of the soft dorsal fin, central rear part of caudal fin, and rear margins of pectoral and pelvic fins. The black-back phase is similar to the black-belly phase but with more black pigment on rear part of body, dorsal half of peduncle, all of soft dorsal and anal fins, and also over snout and front of jaws; the caudal fin is white with a black margin posteriorly.

Body shape: fusiform / normal. Distinguished by the following characteristics: adult females and juveniles are generally brownish grey with dark vermiculations; camouflage phase has 5 dark brown saddles separated by short white bars below the dorsal fin; large males sometimes display a "black-belly" and "black-back" phase; black-belly phase is mostly pale grey, with faint dark reticulations below soft dorsal fin, belly and ventral part of the body above anal fin black, as are margin of the soft dorsal fin, central rear part of caudal fin and rear margins of pectoral and pelvic fins; depth of body contained 3.0-3.5 times in SL; head length 2.5-2.7 times in SL; convex interorbital area; angle of preopercle produced into a rounded lobe bearing enlarged serrae; posterior nostrils of adults much larger than anterior ones; smooth lateral body scales, except those covering pectoral fin (Ref. 89707).

Mainly continental, from North Carolina to Yucatán Peninsula; juveniles occur as far north as Massachusetts; r are in Bermuda; not known in the Caribbean except for one record from Cuba; also reported from sou thern Brazil. Mycteroperca phenax Jordan and Swain, 1884 MKH Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / None. FAO names: En - Scamp; Fr - Badèche galopin; Sp - Cuna garopa. Diagnostic characters: Body depth contained 3.0 to 3.4 times, head length 2.6 to 3.0 times in st andard length (for fish 20 to 57 cm st andard length). Posterior nostrils of adults 2 to 4 times larger than anterior nostrils. Preopercle of adults (larger than 40 cm st andard length) with projecting bony lobe at angle. Gill rakers on first arch 8 to 10 on upper limb, 17 to 21 on lower limb, 26 to 31 total (including 3 or 4 rudiments on each limb); longest raker is longer than the longest gill filament. Adults with unevenly exserted rays in dorsal, anal, and caudal fins; dorsal fin with 11 spines, 16 to 18 soft rays; anal fin with 3 spines, 10 to 12 soft rays; cau- dal fin concave; pectoral-fin rays 15 to 17. Lateral body scales ctenoid; lateral-line scales 76 to 82; lateral- scale series about 124. Colour: Gilmore and Jones (1992) described 4 colour patterns: the usual pattern is the brown phase, with head and body pale brownish grey, c overed (except ventr ally) with closely-set, sm all dark spots (1 on each scale) which extend onto the median fins; angle of mouth yellowish. The ‘cat’s paw’ phase is pale brown, the dorsolateral parts of body with several clusters of dark brown spots resembling the paw print of a cat. Large adults (50 to 70 cm st andard length) displayed a grey-head phase, with rear 2/3 of body dark, the head and body anterior to sixth dorsal-fin spine silvery grey with dark reticulations, belly and ventral part of body above anal fin with several white spots; fins white except for black margin of pectoral fins. A bicolour phase (seen once) was pale brown anteriorly and abruptly dark brown posterior to origin of soft dorsal fin. Size: Maximum total length (not including exserted caudal rays) is 90 cm, maximum weight about 15 kg. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: In the eastern Gulf of Mexico, usu ally found over ledges and high-relief rocky bottoms; but the preferred habitat from North Carolina to Georgia is low-profile bottoms in depths of 30 to 100 m. Off the east coast of Florida, the most abundant grouper in areas of living Octolina coral formations at depths of 70 to 100 m. Because of their relatively sm all size, they may be restricted to areas of topographic complexity where they can find shelter from predators such as sharks and large Seriola dumerili. Juvenile scamp have been found at jetties and in mangrove areas. Off the Carolinas, scamp grow slowly and attain an age of 21 years (89 cm fork length); maturity is attained at 3 years (40 cm). The weight/length relationship for scamp in the eastern Gulf of Mexico is W = 1.10 x 10-7 st andard length2.74 where W is in kilograms and stan- dard length is in millimetres. Feed mainly on fishes, but crustaceans and octopus are also occasion ally eaten. The most highly prized grouper in fisheries of the Gulf of Mexico, sou theastern USA, and Vene- zuela. Distri bution: Mainly continental: North Carolina to Key West, Gulf of Mexico and along sou thern shore of Caribbean; juveniles occasion ally found as far north as Massachusetts.

Juveniles occur in estuaries and seagrass beds; adults usu ally offshore on rocky bottoms in 40 to 80 m, and inshore (away from heavily fished areas) on rocky or grassy bottoms. Females mature at 5 or 6 years (67 to 75 cm total length) and most change sex between 10 and 11 years (95 to 100 cm). Transient spawning aggregations are formed in 50 to 120 m in the eastern Gulf of Mexico from late December to April. Fecundity of a 95 cm female was estimated at 1.5 million eggs. Artificial spawning was accomplished with males produced by induced sex inversion of females. Adults are solitary or in groups of 5 to 50 fish, 5 to 15 m above the bottom; they feed mainly on fishes and also take some crabs, shrimps, and cephalopods; juve- niles (less than 20 cm) feed mainly on crustaceans (primarily shrimps) that live in sh allow grass beds. The weight/length relationship for gag from the east- ern Gulf of Mexico is W = 2.68 x 10-8 st andard length2.958 where W is in kilograms and st andard length is in millimetres. Caught with hook-and-line, longlines, and occasion ally in trawls.

Maximum length about 120 cm; maximum weight 39 kg.

Juveniles occur in estuaries and seagrass beds; adults are usually found offshore on rocky bottom (rarely to 152 m), occasionally inshore on rocky or grassy bottom. It is the most common grouper on rocky ledges in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Adults are either solitary or in groups of 5 to 50 individuals; feed mainly on fishes, some crabs, shrimps, and cephalopods. Juveniles (less than 20 cm) feed mainly on crustaceans that live in shallow grass beds.

Reproductive mode: protogyny; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Indeterminate, multiple spawner (Ref. 86690).

IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable (VU), assessed 2016-11-21. Resilience: Medium (K=0.12-0.16; tm=3-8; tmax=16; Fec>10,000).