Family : Serranidae (Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets) , subfamily: Epinephelinae
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Starspotted grouper
Fish Name : Epinephelus hexagonatus
Max size : 27.5 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 48600)
Environment : reef-associated ; depth range 0 - 30 m
Climate : tropical; 33°N - 31°S
Global Importance : fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.9)Distribution : Indo-West Pacific: none have been taken on the African coast, except for the specimen recorded by Randall and Heemstra 1991(Ref. 4787) from Kenyan coast north of Kilifi Creek. It is an insular species found in most tropical Indo-Pacific islands. Absent in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-17; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-8. Small but conspicuous triangular white spots on the corners of the brown hexagons of the vertical fins and all of the body except the belly; four to six dark blotches along the dorsal fin base (Ref. 37816).
Biology : Common in exposed outer-reef areas in relatively shallow water. Well-camouflaged grouper, solitary (Ref 37816). Feeds mainly on fishes and crustaceans (stomatopods and brachyuran crabs) (Ref. 5222)
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 : പുളളിചാമ്മാം, പുള്ളിച്ചമ്മം, Honeycomb reefcod, Pullichammam, Sikkisikkifana
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses