8a D XI,14; LL 56-64; head and body greyish or
brown with numerous evenly spaced dark brown
spots; P and margin of spinous D yellow;
A, soft D and C with white edge ................... E. albomarginatus
8b D XI,16-17; LL 64-76; no dark spots on body (dark
bars may be visible); spinous D margin dark red
or black ............................................................... E. retouti
9a A III,9-10 (rarely 8) ........................................................ 10
9b A III,7-8 ...................................................................... 11
lOa Midlateral body scales smooth, embedded;
nostrils subequal; head and body reddish orange,
covered with close-set dark brown spots
extending onto soft D and C; spinous D with
horizontal dark stripes ............................................ E. posteli
lOb Midlateral body scales rough, exposed; posterior
nostrils much bigger than anterior; head and body
brown with 7 or 8 broad dark bars, the first on
nape and the last (broadest and darkest) on
C peduncle .............................................. E. septemfasciatus
Ila Anterior LL scales with branched tubules; eyes
small and interorbital very broad, the orbit
diameter 2.0-3.0 times in interorbital width for
fishes 30-100 cm SL; maximum total length 270 cm .. E. lanceolatus
II b Anterior LL scales with a single tubule (except
large specimens of E. malabaricus or E. suillus);
eyes not so small and interorbital less broad, the
orbit diameter 0.6-2.0 in interorbital width for
fishes 30-70 cm SL; maximum total length usually
less than 150 cm ................................................. " .. . . . . . .. .. 12
12a Discrete dark spots on head and all of body (spots
reddish brown to black in life, persisting in '
preservative) ................................................................. 13
12b No dark spots on head and all of body .................................. 27
13a LL 46-53 ...................................................................... 14
13b LL 55-74 (except E. fuscoguttatus with 52-58) ....................... 18
14a Midlateral body scales smooth, except those
covered by P ...................................................... E. faveatus
14b Midlateral body scales distinctly ctenoid (rough) ................... 15
15a Dark spots on body elongate, oblique, and more
numerous posteriorly; dark spots on head
separated by more than 2 spot diameters............... E. longispinis
15b Dark spots on body not elongate and not more
numerous posteriorly; dark spots on head c1oseset, less than a spot diameter between them .......................... 16
16a Longest D spine longer than longest Dray, 2.3-2.5
in head; dark spots on soft D, C and A much bigger
than those on body. ............................................. E. miliaris
16b Longest D spine equal to or less than longest Dray,
2.7-3.3 in head; dark spots on soft D, C and A not
bigger than those on body . . .. .. ... .. .. . . . .. .. . .. . . .. . . . . .. .. .. . .. . . .. . . .. 17
17a D XI,15-17; total GR 21-24; no distinct, black,
saddle-like blotch on C peduncle; spots on body
dark brown, mostly larger than pupil, round to
hexagonal and close-set (some often merge to
form short bands); P pale, covered with distinct
blackish brown spots much smaller than those on
body ................................................................... E. merra
17b D XI,14-15; total GR 24-27; a black, "saddle"
blotch on C peduncle; spots on body very small,
blackish, superimposed on a pattern of large
brown blotches ................................................. E. microdon
166: SERRANIDAE (ROCKCODS & SEABASSES)
18a Most dark spots on body polygonal and close-set,
the interspace forming a pale network ................................. 19
18b Most dark spots on body round or oblong and
well separated ............................................................... 21
19a Length of 2nd A spine 2.1-2.35 in head; longest D
spine 2.5-2.9 in head; dark polygonal spots on
head, body and C separated by a pale network
with silvery white dots at the corners of the
polygons; a yellow-brown blotch behind eye
and another horizontally elongate one across
opercle ........................................................ E. hexagonatus
19b Length of 2nd A spine 2.5-3.6 in head; longest D
spine 3.0-3.5 in head; no distinct silvery white dots
between dark spots of head and body; no yellowbrown blotch behind eye or on opercle ................................ 20
20a Large black blotch on body at base of last 4 D
spines extending onto fin at least halfway to the
margin; no other black blotches at base of D or
on peduncle; C peduncle depth not less than
length of 2nd A spine ................................... E. melanostigma
20b Four black blotches (or groups of spots much
darker than others) at base of D; saddle-like
black blotch (or merged spots) on C peduncle;
C peduncle depth distinctly less than length of
2nd A spine; front of head with small black or
dark brown spots (much smaller than half of
pupil) ........................................................... E. spilotoceps
21a LL 52-65 ...................................................................... 22
21b LL 65-74 ...................................................................... 25
22a Total GR 29-31; posterior nostrils subtriangular,
larger than anterior nostrils; head and body buff
with large, irregular, dark brown blotches and
numerous, small, close-set dark brown spots; a
black "saddle" spot on C peduncle ................... E. fuscoguttatus
22b Total GR 23-29; nostrils subequal; dark spots on
head and body not very small and not close-set;
no black spot on top of peduncle ........................................ 23
23a Body depth 2.7-3.1 in SL; no dark spots on A or
paired fins and few on C; dorsolateral parts of
head and body covered with small, irregularly
spaced and shaped, blackish brown spots; D also
with dark spots; a dark brown streak from front
of snout along upper edge of maxilla to lower
rear edge of preopercle; maxilla completely
naked ......................................................... E. magniscuttis
23b Body depth 3.1-3.8 in SL; fins with dark spots;
dark spots on head not in 2 rows from eye towards
P base; maxilla with small, embedded scales ......................... 24
24a Head and body with small black spots and
scattered larger pale spots and blotches; P 18-20 ... E. malabaricus
24b Head and body pale, with brownish orange spots
but no pale spots or blotches; P 19-20 (usually 20) ......... E. suillus
25a LSS 117-135; body pale grey or buff with 5
longitudinal rows of large, widely spaced, oval
or round dark brown to black blotches, those
in upper3 or 4 rows larger than eye ............................ E. tukula
25b LSS 97-110; dark spots on body smaller than eye ................... 26
26a Midlateral body scales distinctly ctenoid; 2 dark
streaks running backwards from lower half of eye;
midlateral part of lower jaw with 2 rows of teeth ...... E. andersoni
521
brown with numerous evenly spaced dark brown
spots; P and margin of spinous D yellow;
A, soft D and C with white edge ................... E. albomarginatus
8b D XI,16-17; LL 64-76; no dark spots on body (dark
bars may be visible); spinous D margin dark red
or black ............................................................... E. retouti
9a A III,9-10 (rarely 8) ........................................................ 10
9b A III,7-8 ...................................................................... 11
lOa Midlateral body scales smooth, embedded;
nostrils subequal; head and body reddish orange,
covered with close-set dark brown spots
extending onto soft D and C; spinous D with
horizontal dark stripes ............................................ E. posteli
lOb Midlateral body scales rough, exposed; posterior
nostrils much bigger than anterior; head and body
brown with 7 or 8 broad dark bars, the first on
nape and the last (broadest and darkest) on
C peduncle .............................................. E. septemfasciatus
Ila Anterior LL scales with branched tubules; eyes
small and interorbital very broad, the orbit
diameter 2.0-3.0 times in interorbital width for
fishes 30-100 cm SL; maximum total length 270 cm .. E. lanceolatus
II b Anterior LL scales with a single tubule (except
large specimens of E. malabaricus or E. suillus);
eyes not so small and interorbital less broad, the
orbit diameter 0.6-2.0 in interorbital width for
fishes 30-70 cm SL; maximum total length usually
less than 150 cm ................................................. " .. . . . . . .. .. 12
12a Discrete dark spots on head and all of body (spots
reddish brown to black in life, persisting in '
preservative) ................................................................. 13
12b No dark spots on head and all of body .................................. 27
13a LL 46-53 ...................................................................... 14
13b LL 55-74 (except E. fuscoguttatus with 52-58) ....................... 18
14a Midlateral body scales smooth, except those
covered by P ...................................................... E. faveatus
14b Midlateral body scales distinctly ctenoid (rough) ................... 15
15a Dark spots on body elongate, oblique, and more
numerous posteriorly; dark spots on head
separated by more than 2 spot diameters............... E. longispinis
15b Dark spots on body not elongate and not more
numerous posteriorly; dark spots on head c1oseset, less than a spot diameter between them .......................... 16
16a Longest D spine longer than longest Dray, 2.3-2.5
in head; dark spots on soft D, C and A much bigger
than those on body. ............................................. E. miliaris
16b Longest D spine equal to or less than longest Dray,
2.7-3.3 in head; dark spots on soft D, C and A not
bigger than those on body . . .. .. ... .. .. . . . .. .. . .. . . .. . . . . .. .. .. . .. . . .. . . .. 17
17a D XI,15-17; total GR 21-24; no distinct, black,
saddle-like blotch on C peduncle; spots on body
dark brown, mostly larger than pupil, round to
hexagonal and close-set (some often merge to
form short bands); P pale, covered with distinct
blackish brown spots much smaller than those on
body ................................................................... E. merra
17b D XI,14-15; total GR 24-27; a black, "saddle"
blotch on C peduncle; spots on body very small,
blackish, superimposed on a pattern of large
brown blotches ................................................. E. microdon
166: SERRANIDAE (ROCKCODS & SEABASSES)
18a Most dark spots on body polygonal and close-set,
the interspace forming a pale network ................................. 19
18b Most dark spots on body round or oblong and
well separated ............................................................... 21
19a Length of 2nd A spine 2.1-2.35 in head; longest D
spine 2.5-2.9 in head; dark polygonal spots on
head, body and C separated by a pale network
with silvery white dots at the corners of the
polygons; a yellow-brown blotch behind eye
and another horizontally elongate one across
opercle ........................................................ E. hexagonatus
19b Length of 2nd A spine 2.5-3.6 in head; longest D
spine 3.0-3.5 in head; no distinct silvery white dots
between dark spots of head and body; no yellowbrown blotch behind eye or on opercle ................................ 20
20a Large black blotch on body at base of last 4 D
spines extending onto fin at least halfway to the
margin; no other black blotches at base of D or
on peduncle; C peduncle depth not less than
length of 2nd A spine ................................... E. melanostigma
20b Four black blotches (or groups of spots much
darker than others) at base of D; saddle-like
black blotch (or merged spots) on C peduncle;
C peduncle depth distinctly less than length of
2nd A spine; front of head with small black or
dark brown spots (much smaller than half of
pupil) ........................................................... E. spilotoceps
21a LL 52-65 ...................................................................... 22
21b LL 65-74 ...................................................................... 25
22a Total GR 29-31; posterior nostrils subtriangular,
larger than anterior nostrils; head and body buff
with large, irregular, dark brown blotches and
numerous, small, close-set dark brown spots; a
black "saddle" spot on C peduncle ................... E. fuscoguttatus
22b Total GR 23-29; nostrils subequal; dark spots on
head and body not very small and not close-set;
no black spot on top of peduncle ........................................ 23
23a Body depth 2.7-3.1 in SL; no dark spots on A or
paired fins and few on C; dorsolateral parts of
head and body covered with small, irregularly
spaced and shaped, blackish brown spots; D also
with dark spots; a dark brown streak from front
of snout along upper edge of maxilla to lower
rear edge of preopercle; maxilla completely
naked ......................................................... E. magniscuttis
23b Body depth 3.1-3.8 in SL; fins with dark spots;
dark spots on head not in 2 rows from eye towards
P base; maxilla with small, embedded scales ......................... 24
24a Head and body with small black spots and
scattered larger pale spots and blotches; P 18-20 ... E. malabaricus
24b Head and body pale, with brownish orange spots
but no pale spots or blotches; P 19-20 (usually 20) ......... E. suillus
25a LSS 117-135; body pale grey or buff with 5
longitudinal rows of large, widely spaced, oval
or round dark brown to black blotches, those
in upper3 or 4 rows larger than eye ............................ E. tukula
25b LSS 97-110; dark spots on body smaller than eye ................... 26
26a Midlateral body scales distinctly ctenoid; 2 dark
streaks running backwards from lower half of eye;
midlateral part of lower jaw with 2 rows of teeth ...... E. andersoni
521