Family : Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets) , subfamily: Epinephelinae
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Malabar grouper
Fish Name : Epinephelus malabaricus
Max size : 234 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 5213); max. published weight: 150.0 kg (Ref. 9710)
Environment : reef-associated; amphidromous ; depth range 0 - 150 m
Climate : tropical; 30°N - 32°S
Global Importance : fisheries: highly commercial; aquaculture: commercial
Resilience: Very low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)Distribution : Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Tonga, north to Japan, south to Australia. It is not known from the Persian Gulf, where the closely related Epinephelus coioides is common.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-16; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-8
Biology : A common species found in a variety of habitats: coral and rocky reefs, tide pools, estuaries, mangrove swamps and sandy or mud bottom from shore to depths of 150 m. Juveniles found near shore and in estuaries; sex reversal probable; catch statistics poor being previously confused with E. andersoni (Ref. 4332). Feeds primarily on fishes and crustaceans, and occasionally on cephalopods (Ref. 9710). In Hong Kong live fish markets (Ref. 27253). Widely used in mariculture mainly in the Far East (Ref. 43448)
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 : Malabar rockcod, கலவா, गोबरा, हीकरू, புன்னீ காலா , புள்ளிக் கலவா, વેખરુ , વેખલી , బొంతు  , கலவா , Bontoo, Gobra, Hekaru, Hekru, Kalava, Malabar reefcod, Punni-calawah, Speckled grouper, Wekhali, Wekhru
Status : native
Salinity : brackish, marine
Uses : no uses