The blue-and-yellow grouper is a middle sized fish, it can grow up to a maximum length of 90 cm but average size is usually around 45 cm. It has a massive body, compressed laterally and its global aspect is rounded. Adult, this grouper has a blue-grey background color, from an individual to another the background color intensity can vary from light blue-grey to dark blue, some grouper can also have grey glitters on the body, all the fins are yellow and a yellow mustache is present on the upper lip. The youth grouper has on the anterior part of its body a blue-grey color and the rest of the body is yellow.
Dorsal spines (total): 11, Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-17, Anal spines: 3, Anal soft rays: 8.
Adults have yellow fins. Small juveniles about half blue, half yellow; distinguished by having sky blue color of head and body in juveniles to dark bluish violet or dark greyish blue in adults; yellow upper lip; ctenoid scales on body except cycloid scales anterodorsally above lateral line and on thorax and abdomen; body of adult with numerous auxiliary scales; moderately deep bodied, greatest depth 2.4-2.8 in SL; truncate to slightly emarginate caudal fin; pelvic fins 1.7-2.0 in head length; further characterized by having head length 2.4-2.7 times in SL; preorbital depth 6.8-8.8 times in head length for fish 36-66 cm SL; interorbital area convex; adults posterior nostrils 4-5 times larger than anterior nostrils; subangular preopercle, serrae at angle enlarged; straight to slightly convex upper edge of operculum; maxilla reaches to or slightly past vertical at rear edge of eye; 2-4 rows of teeth on midlateral part of lower jaw.
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Blue-and-yellow Grouper can be seen in depth range 10 - 150 m and is solitary and sedentary, it's defending a well bounded territory. Juveniles inhabit shallow reefs while adults are found on deeper reefs.
Blue-and-yellow Grouper hunts from a hide its preys rather at dusk. Like other groupers, it's carnivorous and its diet is mainly many different fishes, crustaceans and squids.
This species not so common in Maldives but is occasionally taken by fishermen.