Family : Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets) , subfamily: Epinephelinae
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Longspine grouper
Fish Name : Epinephelus longispinis
Max size : 55.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 4319); max. published weight: 2,700 g (Ref. 4787)
Environment : reef-associated ; depth range 1 - 70 m
Climate : tropical; 17°N - 33°S
Global Importance : fisheries: commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)Distribution : Indo-West Pacific: Kenya to South Africa (32°S) and east to the Watubela Group of the eastern Banda Sea. Not known from the Red Sea nor Persian Gulf.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-17; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-8. Similar to E. maculatus but fewer spots and posterior ones elongated (Ref. 48635).
Biology : Inhabits coral reefs or rocky areas and occasionally on sandy bottom. Feeds mainly on crustaceans, especially crabs and stomatopods, rarely on small fishes, squids, and pelecypod flesh. Used in Chinese medicine (Ref. 12166)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator : Heemstra, Phillip C.
Main Ref : Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall. 1993. (Ref. 5222)

India country information
Common Names : गोबरा, हीकरू, പുള്ളിച്ചമ്മം, ഫുല്ലിചാമ്മാം , વેખરુ , વેખલી , Fullichammam, Gobra, Hekru, Spotted grouper, Wekhali, Wekhru
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses