Blacksaddled Coral Grouper's description
Like other groupers, this rather wary, coral reef-dwelling fish is a large, robust species. It may be one of two colour forms: the pale black-saddled form is whitish or pale yellowish, with five dark brown to black bars on the head and body. Small blue spots with dark edges may also pattern the body. The other colour form is much darker, being brown, olive, red, or nearly black, speckled with numerous, dark-edged blue spots. The dark bars that appear on the pale form are either very faint or entirely absent in this form. Blacksaddled coral groupers have large mouths, lined with numerous small teeth and prominent canines on the sides of the lower jaw, enabling them to be efficient predators of other reef inhabitants.
Dorsal spines (total): 7 - 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8.