Species profile
Red Hind
Epinephelus guttatus
At a glance
Red Hind (Epinephelus guttatus) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species with specific harvest rules tracked in 1 of 66 jurisdictions covered by CatchRules.
Confirmed by 6 research-grade iNaturalist observations across the species' range.
Notable details
- Red hinds are protogynous hermaphrodites — they begin life as females, and some individuals later transition permanently to male.
- They are identified by a pale body densely covered in reddish-orange spots that extend onto the fins.
- Red hinds form large spawning aggregations in winter, a predictable behavior that makes them especially vulnerable to overfishing.
- They are ambush predators that lurk in coral and rocky reef habitat from North Carolina to Brazil.
- Adults typically reach 12 to 20 inches in length and can live up to 25 years.
Where Red Hind are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Red Hind
Background
The red hind (Epinephelus guttatus), also known as the koon or lucky grouper in Caribbean vernacular, is a species of grouper in the family Serranidae native to the western Atlantic Ocean. Ranging from North Carolina, United States to Paraíba, Brazil, it is the most common species of Epinephelus in the Caribbean.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Red Hind article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.