Nassau grouper

Description:

This is a black/brown marked fish, mostly in stripes, against a light background. The striping on its forehead is in the shape of a tuning fork.

Habitat:

The Nassau grouper is found in the Atlantic Ocean from Bermuda to Florida and through the Bahamas. It is also found off the coast of Brazil; but, in Central America, it is located mostly off the coast of Belize. Its favorite habitat is on or around coral reefs.

Notes:

This specimen is a younger fish, as they grow to over one meter in length; and this one was approaching two feet. It is a solitary fish, feeding mostly in the daytime. My experience in viewing groupers when snorkeling is that they favor structure, as in the underside of a boat, or, as seen here, in some coral or sponge growth.