Mycteroperca acutirostris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mycteroperca acutirostris |
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The comb grouper, also called the western comb grouper or wavy-lined grouper, is a type of fish. It belongs to the grouper family, known as Serranidae. This fish lives in the warm parts of the western Atlantic Ocean. Its scientific name is Mycteroperca acutirostris.
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What Does It Look Like?
The comb grouper has a body and head that are greyish-brown. It has irregular white spots all over. You can also see three to four dark brown lines. These lines start behind its eye and run along the bottom of its body. They look like wavy stripes.
This fish has a body that is flattened from side to side. It can grow up to 80 centimeters (about 31 inches) long. Its top fin, called the dorsal fin, has 11 sharp spines and 15 to 17 soft rays. The fin underneath, called the anal fin, has 3 spines and 10 to 12 soft rays.
There is a dark brown stripe near its mouth that goes to its gill cover. The anal and dorsal fins are darker with white spots and streaks. The comb grouper usually weighs around 4 kilograms (about 9 pounds). Some have been reported to weigh up to 10 kilograms (about 22 pounds)! The biggest one caught with a fishing rod weighed 5.25 kg in Brazil in 2004.
Where Does It Live?
The comb grouper lives in the warmer parts of the western Atlantic Ocean. You can find it from Bermuda and the northwestern Gulf of Mexico all the way south to Brazil.
It seems like this fish is not found everywhere in between these places. There are not many reports of it in the Caribbean Sea or northeastern Brazil. Some old reports said it was in the Canary Islands. However, scientists now think those were probably a different type of grouper called Mycteroperca fusca.
Life and Habits
Comb groupers live around reefs. Adult fish prefer areas with rocky bottoms. Younger comb groupers like to live among soft corals, in seagrass beds, and in mangrove areas. They also live in shallower waters. Young fish have even been found in tide pools along rocky shores in South Brazil.
Reproduction
We don't know much about how comb groupers reproduce. Scientists think they are ready to have babies when they weigh about 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds). In Brazil, they lay their eggs during the southern spring, from September to December. They do not guard their eggs. Instead, they release them into the open water or over the seabed.
Feeding Behavior
Comb groupers often hunt for food in groups in the middle of the water. They have a very interesting way of catching prey. The fish sometimes pretends to be dying! It lies on its side and moves just a little bit. This attracts smaller fish that think it's an easy meal. Then, the grouper quickly strikes and eats them. One young comb grouper was seen doing this in Brazil. It caught 5 fish in just 15 minutes!
They like to eat most at dawn (sunrise) and dusk (sunset). Adult groupers often hunt schools of sardines in the water. Young comb groupers can also act like "aggressive mimics." This means they look like another fish, the black-ear wrasse (Halichoeres poeyi). By looking like a harmless wrasse, they can get closer to their prey without being noticed.
Comb groupers have also been seen following goldspot eels (Myrichthys ocellatus) during the day. They eat the shrimp and crabs that the eels stir up from the bottom. Sometimes, smaller fish called Elacatinus figaro clean the comb groupers. This has been seen off the coast of São Paulo, Brazil.
Fishing for Comb Groupers
This fish is popular for sport fishing in Brazil. However, it is not as popular in the Gulf of Mexico. People who fish for food to feed their families also catch comb groupers in southeastern Brazil.
Images for kids
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An old illustration of fish, including a grouper.
