Local names:
Malay: 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
This grouper is not as popular as the red groupers and is usually used more for frying than steaming. In Malay cuisine, groupers are often cooked in asam pedas or other gulais.
How to identify:
Brown or grayish grouper with yellow spots covering the body which distinguishes it from the similar areolate grouper (Epinephelus areolatus) with dark coloured spots. It also only has spots on the upper half of its tail.
Comparison of the duskytail grouper (Epinephelus bleekeri, above) with the areolate grouper (Epinephelus areolatus, below). Note the differences in the size and colour of the spots and the coverage of spots on the tail.
