📸 PhotoPhoto: Taken by Diliff Edited by Fir0002 . · CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons Source
Giant grouper
Epinephelus lanceolatus (Giant grouper · タマカイ)
💡 Everyday Comparisons for Size, Mass & Speed
- 💡 Its maximum weight of 400 kg equals twenty 20 kg bags of rice (Comparison).
- 💡 Its maximum length of 2.7 m is about 2 thirds of the length of a passenger car (about 4.5 m) (Comparison).
- 💡 It is targeted for aquaculture and the aquarium trade, and has nearly disappeared in heavily fished areas (FishBase).
Reference standards: coach bus ~12 m, mid-size car ~4.9 m, compact car ~1 t, basketball hoop 3.05 m, credit card 8.56 cm.
Site-computed relative index from recorded values; not a formal scientific metric.
📖 1. Overview
The Giant grouper is the largest species of bony fish living on coral reefs. It is common in shallow waters and can also be seen inside caves or shipwrecks.
🦴 2. Anatomy & Morphology
It has a robust spindle-shaped body whose depth is 1.5–1.75 times its width, appearing somewhat flattened from the side. Juveniles have black markings on a yellow background, while adults are dark brown with small black spots on the fins.
🔍 3. Ecology & Behavior
It preys on spiny lobsters, fishes (including small sharks and rays), juvenile sea turtles, and crustaceans. In South African estuaries, it mainly eats the mud crab (Scylla serrata).
🇰🇷 4. Connection to Korea
It is listed as Daewangbari (Korean name) on the National List of Species of Korea.
📚 Sources & References
- • IUCN Red List DD (2018) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/7858/100465809
- • IUCN Red List category DD — latest assessment at iucnredlist.org
- • catalogueoflife.org — 6G5P2
- • iucnredlist.org — 100465809
- • 국가생물종목록(국립생물자원관) ktsn 120000058340 — https://species.nibr.go.kr/home/mainHome.do?cont_link=009&subMenu=009002&contCd=009002&ktsn=120000058340
- • wikidata.org — Q847747
- • commons.wikimedia.org — File:Georgia Aquarium - Giant Grouper edit.jpg
- • fishbase.se — Epinephelus-lanceolatus.html
- • Silhouette: PhyloPic — author not recorded · CC0 1.0 (Congeneric silhouette — Epinephelus)
Recorded dimensions are widely cited representative estimates from public literature and may vary by study or specimen.