Warsaw Grouper

At a glance

Warsaw Grouper (Hyporthodus nigritus) is an IUCN Near Threatened bony-fish species regulated in 3 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.

Confirmed by 4 research-grade iNaturalist observations across the species' range.

Notable details

• One of the largest Atlantic groupers, with records exceeding 400 pounds.
• Listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN, largely due to decades of overfishing.
• A protogynous hermaphrodite that starts life as female and may later transition to male.
• Inhabits deep rocky reefs and can be found at depths exceeding 500 meters.
• Slow to recover from overfishing due to late sexual maturity and a lifespan exceeding 20 years.

Where Warsaw Grouper are seen

• Florida2 iNat obs
• Texas2 iNat obs

Jurisdictions with rules for Warsaw Grouper

• FloridaUnited States · official source
• GeorgiaUnited States · official source
• South CarolinaUnited States · official source

Background

Hyporthodus nigritus, or the Warsaw grouper, is a species of marine fish in the family Serranidae, found in the Western Atlantic from Massachusetts to the Gulf of Mexico, Cuba, Trinidad, and south to Brazil (Rio de Janeiro). Its natural habitats are open seas, shallow seas, subtidal aquatic beds, and coral reefs. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Warsaw Grouper article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.

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