Black Grouper
Mycteroperca bonaci
Sighting evidence at Jardines del Norte, Banco Chinchorro
Photo: Bernat Garrigós · CC BY-NC
Black grouper patrol the reef crest and upper wall at Jardines del Norte at sizes and densities that reflect the protection the atoll receives as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Individuals exceeding 80 cm are seen regularly, ambushing prey from behind coral heads in a slow-hunting style that is mesmerising to watch from close range. Their recovery within the atoll demonstrates the direct ecological value of marine protected areas — outside the reserve boundary, black grouper of this size are almost never encountered in the Caribbean.
Evidence at this site
No confirmed records on file at this site
Black Grouper is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.