COMMON NAMES: Foursaddle Grouper, Foursaddle Rockcod; French Mérou à Quatre Selles

TRADITIONAL NAMES: Marau < Kauāroa < Tarao (AT), Marau < Tarāoa (MK), Tolōpunga (TS), Torōpunga (TW)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE e.Africa - Line Is; n. to Taiwan; s. to Niue

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; Marine, near-shore, Shallow reef and lagoons; shallow reef waters

KEY FEATURES: A small "honeycomb grouper" to 25cm SL. Thickset (depth 3x in SL), with slender tail-base (less than 2nd anal spine length), with upper jaw reaching just beyond eye hind-margin. Close-set dark and light brown polygons separated by narrow pale lines, and similarly on fins and tail; belly spots round and well spaced; 4 dark blotches under Dorsal Fin, darkest under posterior spinous fin, with 1 on tail-base; broad dark bars below upper-midbody; 3-4 rows of small spots on front upper lip; Pectorals distally uniform dull yellowish-green. Dorsal spines XI, mid-lowerjaw teeth in 2-4 rows; tops of Dorsal spines black.

SIMILAR SPECIES: See under Hexagon Grouper (Epinephelus hexagonatus). Most simialr to Blackspot Grouper (Epinephelus melanostigma) and Greasy Grouper (Epinephelus tauvina) - see under those species.