Goldblotch Grouper - Epinephelus costae - Striped Hunter on the Rozi Wreck

A Goldblotch Grouper rests close above an encrusted section of the Rozi wreck at Cirkewwa, Malta, displaying the dark longitudinal stripes typical of the species.

The Goldblotch Grouper (Epinephelus costae) is a relatively elongated grouper with a laterally compressed body, pointed head, large mouth and noticeably projecting lower jaw. Its colour varies with age, sex and behaviour. Females and younger individuals commonly show four to five dark longitudinal stripes across the upper half of the brownish or grey-brown body, while mature males may develop a conspicuous elongated golden patch behind the head. The fins are generally darker than the body and the tail is slightly concave. Goldblotch Groupers occur throughout much of the Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic and inhabit rocky areas, reefs, wrecks, sandy bottoms and zones where sand meets rock. They are predatory fish feeding on crustaceans, molluscs and other fishes, often hunting from cover or remaining motionless near the seabed. FishBase records the species from approximately 1 to 300 metres depth, with exceptional individuals reaching about 140 centimetres in length. This photograph shows a striped Goldblotch Grouper resting close above an encrusted structure of the Rozi wreck at Cirkewwa in Malta.