Cephalopholis Argus

About: Cephalopholis Argus

Distribution:

Peacock Hind Grouper inhabits the Indo-Pacific region, including the Red Sea to Durban, South Africa and eastward to French Polynesia and the Pitcairn group, north to the Ryukyu and Ogasawara islands, south to northern Australia and Lord Howe Island. Peacock Hind Grouper have been recorded in Australia from Ashmore Reef, Timor Sea, Kendrew Island, Rowley Shoals and Scott Reef, WA, to Moreton Bay, QLD, also Boot Reef, Osprey Reef and Herald Cay in the Coral Sea, and Elizabeth Reef and Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. Also at the Australian territories of Cocos (Keeling) and Christmas islands in the eastern Indian Ocean.

Habitat:

The Peacock Hind Grouper typically sits on a coral heads and retreats when startled. Although they can be found in waters as deep as 120 feet, they prefer depths of 3-30 feet. Peacock Hind Grouper have a unique social structure and typically live in territorial groups controlled by a single dominate male. Territories are sub-divided into smaller partitioned zones, each containing a single female. Communities generally contain up to 12 females and 1 male, with averages communities being 2-6 females inhabiting a .05 acre zone.

Spawning:

Spawning usually occurs at dusk within each territory. The male visits each female daily, raising his dorsal fin to signal his approach. The females emerges from hiding, erecting her own dorsal fin and changing to a lighter color. They swim together, rubbing flanks before he departs. Territorial disputes may involve “color fights” in which two males positioning themselves at right angles to each other. They then darken their color and repeatedly switch their bars from dark to light. The loser becomes pale and retreats. If the color fight ends in a draw, the two males may attack each other. Like many groupers, the peacock hind is a protogynous hermaphrodite and switches from a female to a male during its lifespan. Females reach sexual maturity at 1.2 years. Females transitioning to males will occur once the female reaches around 11 years of age.

Prey:

Peacock Hind Groupers main diet is other fishes, around 98% with the other 2% being crustaceans. Depending on their geographical location this species will feed at dawn and dusk or entirely at night. Like most groupers they are ambush predators and will lie on the bottom and surge forward engulfing their prey. The peacock hind grouper has a definitive taste for the following fish:

• Parrotfish
• Surgeonfish
• Squirrelfish
• Filefish
• Bigeyes
• Butterflyfish
• Trumpetfish

Predators:

Humans, Marine mammals and larger fish are potential predators of the Peacock Hind Grouper.

Juveniles:

Juveniles prefer shallow, protected coral thickets.

Non-Technical Description:

Coloration:
Overall, the body is dark brown and covered in small black-edged blue spots, with or without 5-6 pale bars on the rear of the body. They have bluish fins, and a creamy-white patch around the pectoral-fin base.

Technical Description:

Dorsal spines: 9
Dorsal soft rays: 15-17;
Anal spines: 3
Anal soft rays: 9.
Longitudinal scale series: 95-110
Pectoral fin rays 16-17.
Caudal fin truncate: 8 branched rays in upper lobe and 7 in the lower lobe.
Dentition: Small canines located at the front of the jaws in addition to 2-4 rows of small slender teeth at the side of the lower jaw. There are teeth present on the palatine

Human Food Source:

They can be seen in Hong Kong live fish markets. They are important to artisan fisheries throughout the Indo-West Pacific region and often caught with hook-and-line, spear, and in traps.