Description:

Dorsal spines: 7 - 8; Dorsal rays: 10-12; Anal spines: 3; Anal rays: 8.

Large grouper with elongate and robust body. Nostril set in a groove infront of eye. Posterior nostrils larger than anterior on fish > 60cm SL. Midlateral part of upper jaw 
with 1 to 4 enlarged fixed canines. Caudal fin truncate to slightly emarginate.

Colour. Adults dirty red or purplish brown with mottled colouration dorsally. Mottling can be paler or include change in colouration to brownish, olive green
or orange. Pectoral fins darker distally. Pectoral, pelvic and anal fins often with distal bluish band.  

Sub-adults less robust in form and often have an even purplish brown colour all over. Orbits of sub-adults often lined in blue, this is less common in adults. Small 
sub-adults (14-20cm SL) with horizontal pale streaks and elongate pale spots on the head and body.

Small juveniles (7-12cm SL) brownish dorsally, with numerous round or oval pale spots and black interspinous membranes between the first five dorsal fin spines.

Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max length: 96.0 cm TL.

Rocky and coral reef associated species (depth 3-62 m) but usually found in waters of less than 10m depth. Occurs in small groups or solitary. Feeds on fish ((parrotfishes, 
wrasses, holocentrids, acanthurids, triggerfish). Forms spawning aggregations. In Seychelles spawning aggregations have been recorded December to February in the atolls and 
the granitics (Cosmoledo, Farquhar and Praslin) numbering 10 to 100 indviduals (Robinson et al. 2007, 2008 & 2013).

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in the hand line fishery, but is an uncommon to rare component of the catch. Small specimens 
are also caught in the trap fishery. There is anecdotal evidence to suggest a significant decline of the population of the species on the Mahe plateau. It is more commonly 
seen in catches originating from the Amirantes and southern islands.

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/Plectropomus-punctatus.html (16/03/19).
Nevill, J. (2013). A Species Identification Guide for Commonly Caught Fish in the Seychelles Near-Shore Artisanal Fishery. GOS/UNDP/GEF.
Robinson, J. et al. (2007). Investigation of the importance of reef fish spawning aggregations for the sustainable management of artisanal fisheries resources in Seychelles. 
Final project report to the Marine Science for Management (MASMA)Programme/Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA).
Robinson, J. et al. (2008). Reef fish spawning aggregations in the western Indian Ocean: current knowledge and implications for management. In: Obura DO, Tamelander J, 
Linden O (eds) CORDIO Status Report 2007. Coastal Oceans Research and Development—Indian Ocean, Mombasa: 263–276.
Robinson, J. & Samoilys, M. (2013). Evaluation of an indicator-based framework for assessing the vulnerability of reef fish populations to spawning aggregation fisheries. In: 
Robinson, J., Samoilys, M.(Co-eds.), 2013. Reef fish spawning aggregations in the Western Indian Ocean: Research for Management. WIOMSA book series. Western Indian Ocean 
Marine Science Association, Zanzibar.
Samoilys, M. et al. (2018). Plectropomus punctatus. The IUCN Red List 2018: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T132801A100571961.en. (16/03/19).

Nevill, J.E.G. (2019). Plectropomus punctatus, Marbled coralgrouper. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/plectropomus-punctatus-quoy-gaimard-1824/ (edited 08/08/22).