Epinephelus macrospilos
Uncommon but findable at Flic-en-Flac, Mauritius, this grouper turns up on reef slopes year-round in warm 25-29C water.
A stocky, thick-bodied grouper reaching around 36 cm, pale grey to olive brown and covered in small dark spots that spread fairly evenly across the head, body and fins. The face has a blunt, almost snub profile compared to the more elongated snouts of other reef groupers, which is where the common name comes from. Look for it holding still against coral rubble or a ledge rather than swimming in open water.
Typically spotted sitting motionless near ledges, overhangs or patches of coral rubble rather than out cruising the reef. It tends to hold its ground as divers approach, relying on its mottled camouflage to blend into the substrate rather than bolting for cover. Most sightings come from daytime reef dives at sites with structure it can tuck into.
Like other epinephelid groupers it is a solitary ambush predator, relying on camouflage and a sit-and-wait strategy rather than active chasing to take smaller reef fish and invertebrates.
Sightings show no clear seasonal pattern, and the water temperature range logged for this species (24.7 to 29 C) covers the tropical reef conditions found year-round at Flic-en-Flac. Plan around general dive conditions rather than a particular month.
Reef neighbours a diver could mistake it for. Use the identification notes above to tell them apart.
Most reliably logged around Flic-en-Flac on the west coast of Mauritius, where it turns up as an uncommon find across a good spread of local sites. A smaller number of sightings come from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, so it is worth keeping an eye on ledges and reef structure there too.
Mapping where Snubnose Grouper is logged…
The strongest sightings come from Flic-en-Flac in Mauritius, where it shows up as an uncommon but recurring find across many local sites. It has also been logged, less often, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
There is no detected seasonal pattern, so it is treated as a year-round sighting. It sits comfortably in water between about 25 and 29 C, which matches Mauritius reef conditions most of the year.
Look for a stocky grey-brown grouper around 36 cm long, covered in small dark spots, with a blunter snout profile than many similar reef groupers. It is usually seen holding still near ledges or rubble rather than swimming openly.
They typically reach around 36 cm in length, making them a mid-sized reef grouper rather than one of the giant species.
No, they are not considered dangerous to divers and typically hold still or retreat into reef structure when approached rather than reacting aggressively.
Site and sighting data is aggregated from diver logs, iNaturalist and GBIF. For taxonomy and conservation status:
Blacktip Grouper
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