New 🐟 Mercury Safety Guide & Omega-3 Rankings Updated for 2026. View Omega-3 Rankings →

🌊 Marine Least Concern 🍽️ Edible 🌡️ Tropical

Spinycheek grouper

Epinephelus diacanthus Valenciennes, 1828
Max Length
55 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
4
Depth
2–300 m
Climate
Tropical
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
27.00/100
Typical Length
-
Depth Zone
demersal

📖 Overview

Occurs over muddy sand or mud substrata and caught in depths of 63 to 100 m off the Kerala coast. Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 9773.

Scientific Name
Epinephelus diacanthus
Authority
Valenciennes, 1828
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Tropical
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
55 cm
Depth Range
2–300 m
Trophic Level
4
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
27.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 17; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. : fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Spinycheek grouper is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

small fish
crustaceans
cephalopods

🥚 Reproduction

Size at Maturity
39.2cm TL

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; demersal; depth range 2 - 300 m , usually 10 - 120 m . Tropical; 29°N - 5°N, 56°E - 83°E known from the Persian Gulf nor the Red Sea.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine ⬇️ Benthic
Trophic Level
4±0.52

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.01072 × L3.03 (TL)
Max TL
55cm
Dorsal Spines
11
Dorsal Rays
16
Anal Spines
3
Anal Rays
8

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2016

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Medium
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
27.00/100
Low vulnerability
Trophic Level
4
Apex / Top predator
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
Climate Zone
Tropical
Described By
Valenciennes, 1828

🍽️ Edibility & Flavour

"Spinycheek grouper is an edible species."

✗ Not for Raw
✓ Fresh Indicators
  • Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
  • Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
  • Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
  • Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
  • Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
✗ Avoid If
  • Cloudy or sunken eyes
  • Strong fishy or ammonia odour
  • Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
  • Discoloured or dry flesh
Best Cooking Methods
Baking Grilling Pan-frying

⚡ Nutrition

Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central

Nutrient Amount
Protein 17.9 g
Omega-3 (total) 243 mg

🔬 Mercury Safety

Mercury data for Spinycheek grouper has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.

🌿 Sustainability

Best Choice
Healthy stocks, low impact
Good Alternative
Well-managed, minor concerns
Use Caution
Check sourcing and season
Avoid
Overfished or high impact
✓ Sustainable Choice

🔬 Full Nutritional Profile

Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (generic fish average)

Proximate Composition
Energy125 kcal
Moisture75 %
Protein20 %
Total Fat4 %
Ash1.3 %
Fatty Acids (g)
Saturated Fat1 g
Monounsaturated Fat1.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat1.5 g
Omega-3 Total1 g
EPA0.3 g
DHA0.5 g
Omega-6 Total0.3 g
Key Minerals & Vitamins
Calcium20 mg
Iron0.7 mg
Magnesium30 mg
Phosphorus220 mg
Potassium380 mg
Sodium55 mg
Zinc0.5 mg
Selenium32 µg
Vitamin B122 µg

📊 Population Dynamics

Year Region Index Notes
- - -

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Serranus diacanthus Valenciennes 1828 Synonym

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 8 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

Aquareap Community Observations
0 Observations logged on Aquareap

No observations yet - be the first to log one!

View all observations for Spinycheek grouper ↗
Suggest an Edit

Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.

Link to a scientific paper, FishBase, or other authoritative source
Report an Issue

Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.