Family : Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets) , subfamily: Epinephelinae
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Blacktip grouper
Fish Name : Epinephelus fasciatus
Max size : 40.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 5222); max. published weight: 2,000 g (Ref. 30874)
Environment : reef-associated ; depth range 4 - 160 m
Climate : tropical; 36°N - 34°S
Global Importance : fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.16)Distribution : Indo-Pacific: Red Sea to South Africa and eastward to the Pitcairn Group, north to Japan and Korea, south to the Arafura Sea (Ref. 9819), southern Queensland (Australia) and Lord Howe Island.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-17; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-8
Biology : Common in outer reef slopes at depths below 15 m, also occurs in protected bays and lagoons as shallow as 4 m. May also be found down to a depth of 160 m. At Madagascar it feeds night and day on brachyuran crabs, fishes, shrimps, and galatheid crabs (Ref. 6774). In Kenyan waters it feeds on crabs, stomatopods, fishes, ophiuroids, and octopus (Ref. 6448). In the Red Sea, mostly fishes and some crustaceans (mainly crabs) are consumed (Ref. 6699)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : reports of ciguatera poisoning , Lewis, N.D.. 1986
Coordinator : Heemstra, Phillip C.
Main Ref : Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall. 1993. (Ref. 5222)

India country information
Common Names : तेदा, ചമ്മം, ചാമ്മാം, Chammam, Red banned grouper, Ryfana, Teda
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses