Southern Atlantic Grouper

Epinephelus marginatus

Sighting evidence at Ilha Guarita, Abrolhos Banks

Photo: Billy Bensted-Smith · CC BY-NC

Large dusky grouper haunt the deeper chapeirão bases and cave-like overhangs at Guarita, where they ambush smaller fish with a sudden burst of speed. As apex predators on the reef, their abundance here reflects the effectiveness of the marine park in allowing predator populations to rebound from historic overexploitation. Individuals can live for decades and grow to impressive sizes, with some specimens exceeding a meter in length.

Evidence at this site

No confirmed records on file at this site

Southern Atlantic Grouper is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.

How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.