Mycteroperca xenarcha
Broomtail Grouper
Collection Details
Event Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Serranidae (Sea Basses and Groupers)
Mycteroperca
Mycteroperca xenarcha (Broomtail Grouper)
Description
This species account was compiled from
FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version 04/2025.)
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Characters
Body shape: fusiform / normal. Distinguished by the following characteristics: two color patterns, first is brown blotched pattern, grey or greyish green with oblong dark blotches dorsally, forming an irregular maze-like, pale reticulum, second is plain colored pattern is uniform greyish brown, darker fins and edged with white; depth of body contained 2.9-3.1 times in SL; head length 2.6-2.8 times in SL; angular preopercle, with distinct serrate lobe at angle; posterior nostrils notably larger than anterior nostrils (Ref. 89707). Striking features: none.
Distribution
Eastern Central Pacific: San Francisco Bay, California, USA to Peru and the Galapagos Islands.
Habitat Associations
Brackish, marine. demersal. depth range 0-60 m. Found in: estuaries, mangroves, coral reefs.
Biology
Occurs from mangrove area to over hard bottom of the continental shelf and the slope (Ref. 11035). According to Thomson et al. (1979, Ref. 6852), this species prefers mangrove estuaries. Adults and juveniles occur in shallow water with adults found to depths of 60 m.
Max length: 150.0 cm TL; max weight: 91000 g.
Reproductive mode: protogyny; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Data Deficient (DD), assessed 2016-11-21. Resilience: Low (Musick et al. 2000 (Ref. 36717)).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish.
References
Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall (1993) FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 16. Groupers of the world (family Serranidae, subfamily Epinephelinae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the grouper, rockcod, hind, coral grouper and lyretail species known to date. Rome: FAO. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(16):382 p.
Thomson, D.A., L.T. Findley and A.N. Kerstitch (1979) Reef fishes of the Sea of Cortez. The rocky-shore fishes of the Gulf of California. John Wiley and Sons, New York. 302 p.
Heemstra, P.C. (1995) Serranidae. Meros, serranos, guasetas, enjambres, baquetas, indios, loros, gallinas, cabrillas, garropas. p. 1565-1613. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para lo Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Oriental. 3 Vols. FAO, Rome.
Craig, M.T., YJ. Sadovy de Mitcheson and P.C. Heemstra (2011) Groupers of the world: a field and market guide. North America: CRC Press/Taylor and Francis Group, xix, 356 p., A47 pages appendix. DOI: 10.1201-/9780429087899
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