SERRANIDAE Epinephelus quoyanus, 17.7 cm SL (photo by Seishi Kimura) Epinephelus quoyanus (Valenciennes, 1830) Longfin Grouper D XI, 16^18; A III, 8; P1 16-19; LLp 48-52; GR 6-8 + 14-16. Body depth 2.8-3.2 in SL; dorsal profile of head convex; snout short; serrae at corner of preopercle enlarged. Caudal fin rounded; pectoral fins long, 1.2-1.6 in head; pelvic fins not reaching or just reaching anus. Scales on body ctenoid except anterodorsally above lateral line, on thorax, and abdomen; scales on nape very small; maxilla naked or with a few very small scales. Color: whitish with numerous large close-set hexagonal or roundish dark brown to black spots on body and head, the spots being close together dorsally, so the pale interspaces forming a reticulum, but ventrally the spots more separated and their margins more diffuse; similar dark spots on median fins; spots on head progressively smaller anteriorly; chest with 2 dark brown bands joining below pectoral fin bases; ventral edge of anal and caudal fins and leading edge of pelvic fins with white line and blackish submarginal band; pectoral fins mostly dusky with faint dark spots. Size: maximum length about 40 cm. Distribution: Western Pacific: southern Japan to tropical coast of Australia. Unknown from the Indian Ocean except for the Andaman Islands. Remarks: often misidentified as E. macrospilos or E. hexagonatus.(Ukkrit Satapoomin)