Speckled hind facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Speckled hind
juvenile
Conservation status
Data Deficient (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Serranidae
Subfamily:	Epinephelinae
Genus:	Epinephelus
Species:	E. drummondhayi
Binomial name
Epinephelus drummondhayi Goode & Bean, 1878
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Synonyms
Hyporthodus drummondhayi (Goode & Bean 1878)

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The speckled hind (Epinephelus drummondhayi) is a type of fish called a grouper. People also call it the calico grouper, kitty mitchell, or strawberry grouper. It belongs to the same family as sea basses.

This fish lives in the ocean near Bermuda and along the eastern coast of North America. Its natural homes are open seas, shallow waters, and coral reefs. Sadly, its home is shrinking, which puts the speckled hind at risk.

What Does the Speckled Hind Look Like?

The speckled hind has a strong, flat body. It is deepest near its top fin. Its head is about as long as its body is deep. You can see part of its upper jaw even when its mouth is shut.

It has three flat spines on its gill cover. The bone near its jaw has a saw-like edge with bigger spines. Its top fin has 11 sharp spines and 14 to 16 soft rays. Its bottom fin has 3 spines and 9 soft rays. The skin between the spines on its top fin has deep dips. Its tail fin is rounded with sharp corners. It has 72 to 76 scales along its side, in a line.

Colors and Patterns

The body of the speckled hind is dark reddish-brown or grey. It is covered in tiny white spots. On bigger fish, these spots sometimes join together to form a network pattern. The outer part of its side fins is yellowish.

Young speckled hinds look very different! They are bright yellow and covered in small blue-white spots. This fish can grow up to 120 centimeters (about 4 feet) long. It can weigh as much as 30 kilograms (about 66 pounds).

Where Do Speckled Hinds Live?

The speckled hind lives in the western Atlantic Ocean. You can find it around Bermuda. It also lives along the eastern coast of the United States. It is found as far north as North Carolina. From there, it goes south to the Florida Keys and into the Gulf of Mexico as far east as Louisiana. It also lives off the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.

Habitat and Life Cycle

Adult speckled hinds live in offshore areas. They prefer rocky places deep in the ocean, usually between 25 to 183 meters (about 80 to 600 feet) down. They are most often found at depths of 60 to 120 meters (about 200 to 400 feet). Young speckled hinds usually live in shallower waters than the adults.

What Do They Eat?

Like other groupers, the speckled hind is a predator. This means it hunts and eats other animals. It eats other fish, crabs, shrimp, and lobsters. It also eats squid.

Reproduction

Speckled hinds are special because they can change their sex. They are born as females and later can become males. This is called being a "protogynous hermaphrodite." They gather in groups to lay their eggs.

Female speckled hinds become ready to have babies when they are 4 or 5 years old. At this age, they are about 45 to 60 centimeters (about 18 to 24 inches) long. They change into males when they are between 7 and 14 years old. This fish can live for a very long time, sometimes up to 80 years!

How People Use Speckled Hinds

Speckled hinds are sometimes caught by accident by fishing boats. These boats are usually trying to catch other types of groupers or snappers. People who fish for fun also try to catch speckled hinds.

In the United States, there is a limit on how many speckled hinds can be caught. Both commercial and recreational fishers can only keep one fish per boat per trip. However, this fish is still being caught too much. This might be because fish that are caught by accident and then released often get hurt and don't survive.