Local names:
Malay: Kerapu ekor putih, kerapu
Cantonese: Faa baan
Hokkien/Teochew: Huay gau
Mandarin: 花斑
English: Flower grouper, greasy grouper
Fisheries information:
Countries of origin: Indonesia, Malaysia
Fishing methods: Hook and line (Indonesia and Malaysia)
Culinary usage:
Fried, Asam pedas/Gulais
Unlike most other groupers which can be steamed, this grouper is normally not used for steaming and is fried. The flesh is not said to be as nice as the others and is softer and less firm. In Malay cuisine, groupers are often cooked in asam pedas or other gulais.
How to identify:
Brown or grayish grouper with dark spots covering the body. The spots are outlined by hexagonal margins. Tail is crescent-shaped and has a white margin which distinguished it from the similar duskytail grouper (Epinephelus bleekeri). The areolate grouper also has spots covering the entire tail while the duskytail only has spots on the upper half of its tail.
Comparison of the areolate grouper (Epinephelus areolatus, above) with the duskytail grouper (Epinephelus bleekeri, below). Note the differences in the size of the spots and the coverage of spots on the tail.
