Coral Grouper

Cephalopholis miniata

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Epinephelidae
Genus: Cephalopholis
Species: Cephalopholis miniata

The coral grouper (Cephalopholis miniata), also called the coral hind, is a vivid red-orange grouper covered in small blue spots. It is one of the most colourful groupers on the reef.

It grows to about 40 cm and hunts small fish, especially anthias. Males guard a territory containing several females.

In the Philippines it is found on clear-water reef slopes and walls, often near coral heads.

Photo: Jean-Paul Boerekamps, CC0 1.0, via iNaturalist