Fish
Brindle Bass
Epinephelus lanceolatus
The giant grouper of KwaZulu-Natal reefs, a massive, blotched estuary and reef dweller that can reach several hundred kilograms.
Also known as bass(brindle), brindle grouper, giant grouper, queensland groper
- Typical size
- Often 1-2 m, can exceed 2.5 m
- Habitat
- Reefs, wrecks, caves and estuaries
- Depth
- Shallows to about 100 m
The brindle bass is the largest of the Indo-Pacific groupers, a heavy-bodied fish mottled in dark brown, grey and yellowish blotches that break up its outline against reef and wreck structure. Juveniles are boldly patterned and may shelter in estuaries and harbours, while adults hold in caves, gullies and around wrecks along the KwaZulu-Natal coast.
Despite its bulk it is curious and often approaches divers, which unfortunately made it easy to overfish, and populations have declined sharply through much of its range. Large individuals are ambush predators that inhale prey whole with a powerful suck of the gills. Given its slow growth and vulnerability, spearos should leave these gentle giants alone.