Epinephelidae

Coral hind

Cephalopholis miniata

A blue spotted red ruler over twelve females

• Blue
• Orange
• Red
• White
• Tropical
• Globally widespread
• Marine fish
• Other
• Compressed cross-section
• Medium
• Tropical fish

Dressed in an intensely vivid scarlet-orange cloak peppered with celestial sky-blue freckles, the coral hind is one of the most radiant and recognizable groupers inhabiting Indo-Pacific coral ramparts. Its robust, oblong compressed body is enveloped in rich crimson, scarlet, or bright reddish-orange, completely smothered in thousands of tiny, brilliant, iridescent turquoise-blue spots encircled by delicate dark borders. The rounded fins are similarly speckled and finished with a subtle blue margin, while nine sturdy dorsal fin spines defend the back. Distributed widely across the tropical Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea and South Africa across the Great Barrier Reef to the Line Islands and southern Japan, it establishes territories along clear seaward reef drop-offs, overhangs, and channel crevices between two and one hundred and fifty meters depth. A diurnal ambush predator, it rests perched on coral ledges before darting forward to engulf small damselfishes (Pseudanthias) and decapod crustaceans. Territorial harems feature one dominant male defending territories of multiple females. Maximum recorded length reaches fifty centimetres.

Sources: Australian Museum — Coral Hind, Cephalopholis miniata