Epinephelus tauvina
Mottled brown reef predator logged across South Sinai and Marsa Alam, comfortable in 20-28C waters year-round in the Red Sea.
Bulky, thick-bodied grouper reaching around 70cm, coloured in a mottled pattern of grey-brown blotches over a paler olive base that gives it a blotchy, camouflaged look against reef rock. The head is broad with a slightly concave profile between the eyes, and the tail is rounded rather than forked. Divers usually pick it out by its habit of lying still on a ledge or in a cave mouth rather than by any single bold marking.
Usually spotted holding still on a coral ledge, under an overhang, or tucked into a small cave mouth rather than swimming openly over the reef. It is an ambush predator, so most sightings are of a stationary fish watching the water rather than one actively hunting, and it tends to let divers approach fairly close before easing away. Classed as uncommon at most sites where it is logged, so it is a satisfying rather than guaranteed find on a typical Red Sea reef dive.
Like many groupers in the family, it is a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning individuals typically start life as females and some later transition to males as they grow larger.
Sightings are logged year-round with no strong seasonal pattern, which fits its broad comfort range of roughly 19.6 to 28.2C. In the Red Sea this means it turns up on the same reefs whether you dive in winter or summer, so timing your trip around this species specifically is not necessary.
Reef neighbours a diver could mistake it for. Use the identification notes above to tell them apart.
Most reliably logged in Egypt, especially South Sinai, Marsa Alam and the Deep South, and the wider Red Sea Riviera, which together account for the bulk of recorded sightings. Also a regular find in Eilat (Israel) and Aqaba (Jordan) at the northern end of the Red Sea, with smaller but confirmed populations around Orchid Island in Taiwan, the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia, and KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.
Mapping where Greasy Grouper is logged…
The strongest populations are in Egypt's Red Sea, particularly South Sinai, Marsa Alam and the Deep South, and the Red Sea Riviera. It is also logged around Eilat in Israel, Aqaba in Jordan, Orchid Island in Taiwan, and reefs in Saudi Arabia and South Africa.
There is no strong season in the data, so sightings happen year-round on Red Sea reefs. Its comfortable temperature range of roughly 20 to 28C means it is present through both winter and summer diving.
Look for a thick-bodied grouper around 70cm long with a mottled grey-brown blotchy pattern and a broad head. It is usually seen lying motionless on a ledge or in a small cave rather than swimming in the open.
They typically reach around 70cm in length, making them a solid mid-sized grouper rather than one of the giant reef species.
No, they are not considered dangerous to divers. They are ambush predators that rely on stillness and camouflage rather than aggression, and will typically move off if a diver gets too close.
Site and sighting data is aggregated from diver logs, iNaturalist and GBIF. For taxonomy and conservation status:
Blacktip Grouper
2,734 sites
