![]() ![]() The species has a brief annual larval settlement period, making the species' abundance extremely vulnerable to outside factors such as poor weather conditions. Conservation Ītlantic goliath groupers are highly susceptible to rapid population decline due to overfishing and the exploitation of spawning aggregations. ![]() The species has relatively small spawning aggregations of less than 150 individuals with no evidence of spawning outside of these aggregations. Females mature at around 125 centimeters (49 in), and at ages 6–8. ![]() Males become sexually mature at around 115 centimeters (45 in) in length, and at ages 4–6. The species has been hypothesized to be protogynous hermaphrodites, but this has yet to be confirmed. The Atlantic goliath grouper has a longevity of 37 years and reaches first maturity after 6 years, which leads to an estimated generation length of 21.5 years. Juvenile goliath groupers may remain in mangrove nursery habitats for 5 to 6 years before leaving towards deeper offshore reef habitats at around 1 meter in length. Mangroves serve as an essential nursery habitat for the Atlantic goliath grouper and necessitate specific suitable water conditions to nurture healthy, sustained goliath grouper populations. Juveniles mainly inhabit mangrove environments, but can also be found in holes and under ledges of swift tidal creeks that drain mangroves. The species can also be found in coral reef habitats, but are much more abundant in rocky reef environments. Habitat Īdult individuals are typically found in rocky reefs, wrecks, artificial reefs, and oil platforms. The species typically preys on slow moving fish and crustaceans. The pectoral fins are rounded and notably larger than the pelvic fins. The dorsal fins are continuous with the rays of the soft dorsal fin being longer than the spines of the first dorsal fin. The lower jaw has 3 to 5 rows of teeth with no front canines. The species has an elongate body with a broad, flat head and small eyes. Individuals less than 1 meter (3.3 feet) in length have 3 to 4 faint vertical bars present on their sides. The species ranges in coloration from brownish yellow to grey to greenish and has small black dots on the head, body and fins. The Atlantic goliath grouper can grow to lengths of 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) and weigh up to 363 kilograms (800 pounds). In 2001, the American Fisheries Society changed the name to "goliath grouper" after complaints that the nickname was culturally insensitive. In 1927, the New York Aquarium changed the fish's name to Junefish after protests. ![]() Alternate explanations include derivation from the Italian word " giupesce", which means "bottom fish", or mispronunciation of the name "jawfish". A 1996 review of the term's history from its first recorded usage in 1697 concluded that the species' physical characteristics were frequently connected to "mainstay caricatures of anti-Semitic beliefs", whereas the interpretation that the fish was regarded as kosher food had little support. The Atlantic goliath grouper was historically referred to as the "jewfish". The species has been observed at depths ranging from 1 to 100 meters (3.3 to 328.1 ft). In the east, the species ranges in West Africa from Senegal to Cabinda. In the west Pacific it ranges from Mexico to Peru. The species can be found in the west ranging from northeastern Florida, south throughout the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, and along South America to Brazil. The Atlantic goliath grouper or itajara ( Epinephelus itajara), also known as the jewfish, is a saltwater fish of the grouper family and one of the largest species of bony fish.
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