Description:

Dorsal spines: 11; Dorsal rays: 14-15; Anal spines: 3; Anal rays: 8.

Large full-bodied, fusiform, grouper. Posterior nostril diameter about twice diameter of anterior nostrils. Maxilla reaches to or beyond vertical at rear edge of eye.
Caudal fin rounded.

Colour. Head, body and fins pale brown, covered with numerous small dark brown spots; head and body with a irregular dark blotches superimposed over the dark spots 
(or formed by darkened contiguous spots). There is a prominent black saddle on the caudal peduncle.

Maturity: Lm unknown. Range 58-? cm TL. Max Length: 90 cm SL. Typically no larger than 70 cm TL.

(Sexual maturity in Palau occurs at about 30 cm TL).
 

Usually found in coral rich areas of lagoon and outer reefs (depth 2-46 m). Most abundant around islands, particularly atolls. Usually in small schools or solitary. Feeds on 
fish and crustaceans. Forms spawning aggregations of hundreds to thousands of individuals, often with E. fuscoguttatus.

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in the hand line fishery and juveniles are also caught in the trap fishery. On the Mahe plateau 
it is an increasingly rare component of the catch. It is more abundant in the outer islands but spawning aggregations are being targeted there with population decline 
anticipated and anecdotal evidence to indicate an ongoing decline in mean size of specimens caught there.   
 

Bijoux, J. et al. (2013). Spawning aggregation dynamics of brown-marbled grouper and camouflage grouper at a remote Indian Ocean atoll. Endangered Species Research 22: 145-157.
Craig, M.T. et al. (2011). Groupers of the World - a field and market guide. NISC (Pty) Ltd, South Africa. ISBN: 978-1-920033-11-8
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2019). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/6473 (06/03/19).
Rhodes, K. et al. (2018). Epinephelus polyphekadion. The IUCN Red List 2018: http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T61339A100553967.en. (06/03/19).
Robinson, J. et al. (2008). Dynamics of camouflage (Epinephelus polyphekadion) and brown marbled grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) spawning aggregations at a remote reef 
site, Seychelles. Bulletin of Marine Science 83: 415-431.

Nevill, J.E.G. (2019). Epinephleus polyphekadion, Camouflage grouper. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/epinephelus-polyphekadion-bleeker-1849/ (edited 05/08/22).