Tiger grouper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tiger grouper |
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The tiger grouper (Mycteroperca tigris) is a cool fish that lives in the ocean. It's a type of grouper, which belongs to a bigger fish family called Serranidae. This family also includes other fish like anthias and sea basses. You can find tiger groupers in the warm waters of the western Atlantic Ocean.
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What Does a Tiger Grouper Look Like?
The tiger grouper has a long, strong body that is a bit flattened on the sides. Its mouth is quite large. The fish's body is about 3 to 3.6 times longer than it is deep.
It has two main fins on its back (dorsal fin) and one on its belly (anal fin). The dorsal fin has 11 stiff spines and 15-17 soft rays. The anal fin has 3 spines and 11 soft rays. The tail fin (caudal fin) is straight when the fish is young. As it gets older, the tail fin becomes slightly curved inward.
Tiger groupers are usually dark on top. They have 9 to 11 thin, light-colored stripes that run diagonally across their body. These fish are amazing at changing their color! They can become lighter or darker very quickly. Sometimes, they even turn bright red, especially when a cleaner fish is helping them. Young tiger groupers are yellow with a dark line along their sides.
These fish can grow up to about 101 centimeters (40 inches) long. That's over 3 feet! But they are usually around 40 centimeters (16 inches). The heaviest one ever recorded weighed about 10 kilograms (22 pounds).
Where Do Tiger Groupers Live?
You can find the tiger grouper in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean. They live from southeastern Florida, Bermuda, and the Bahamas in the north. Their range goes south through the Caribbean Sea all the way to French Guiana.
There's also a separate group of them living off the coast of Brazil. Here, they are found from Ceara State down to Rio de Janeiro State.
Habitat and Life Habits
The tiger grouper is a fish that likes to be alone. It lives in coral reefs and rocky areas in the ocean. It's a predator, which means it hunts and eats smaller fish. It likes to hide among corals and sponges. It tries to stay hidden, even when people or other animals get close.
These groupers also visit "cleaning stations." These are special spots where smaller cleaner fish remove parasites and dead skin from the grouper's body. It's like a fish spa!
Scientists have studied tiger groupers in Bermuda. They found that these fish can change their sex. Younger fish, less than 37 centimeters (14.5 inches) long, are usually female. Older fish, longer than 45 centimeters (17.7 inches), are usually male. This means they start as females and can later become males.
Tiger groupers live at different depths, from about 3 meters (10 feet) to 112 meters (367 feet) deep. In the northern parts of their home, they gather in large groups to lay their eggs. This is called a spawning aggregation. However, these large gatherings have not been seen off the coast of Brazil.
Discovery of the Tiger Grouper
The tiger grouper was first officially described in 1833. A French scientist named Achille Valenciennes gave it the name Serranus tigris. He found the first one in a place called San Domingo, which is part of Hispaniola.
How People Use Tiger Groupers
People catch tiger groupers in many places where they live. They are caught using fishing lines held by hand. They are also caught by spear fishing.Template:KIDDLE XL START
See also
In Spanish: Mero tigre para niños Template:KIDDLE XL END
