Depth
Mycteroperca · Bony Fish

Mottled Grouper

Mycteroperca rubra

5-200m
Depth Range
140cm
Max Size
Mediterranean
Distribution
5-200m
Depth Range
140cm
Max Size
Rocky reef
Habitat
Carnivore
Diet
Solitary
Social
EN
IUCN Status
Moderate
Sighting Likelihood
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassActinopterygii
GenusMycteroperca
Speciesrubra

Bony Fish

Identification & Biology

  • IdentificationLarge grouper with a heavy body and wide, powerful jaws. Dark brown to olive body with irregular darker mottling. Rounded tail. Lips are thick and fleshy.
  • SizeUp to 80 cm total length, commonly 30 to 50 cm.
  • Social HabitSolitary and territorial. Occupies caves and deep crevices.
  • HabitatRocky reefs, boulder fields, and deep structures. Found at greater depths than the dusky grouper.
  • Depth20 to 200 m, most common between 40 and 100 m.
  • Feeds OnFish, cephalopods, and crustaceans caught from ambush.
  • DistributionEastern Atlantic from Portugal to Angola, including the Mediterranean Sea.
  • DescriptionA deep-dwelling grouper that is less well-known than the dusky grouper, primarily because it inhabits depths at or beyond recreational diving limits. It has declined significantly throughout the Mediterranean due to fishing pressure and is now a rare find on most dives.

Range

Habitat & Distribution

Found on rocky reefs and boulder fields from shallow coastal waters to 200 metres. In Maltese waters, recorded around deep reef walls and drop-offs. More common in North African waters.

Where Malta divers have spotted this species

Loading…

Sightings are logged by divers using our What Did You See? dive-log tool. View the full live sightings map.

Detail

Preferred Environment

Rocky ledges, overhangs, and cave entrances along reef walls. Often found at the boundary between reef structure and open water.

Encounter Tips

Best approached slowly and calmly. Avoid casting shadows directly over the animal. Neutral buoyancy and patience increase encounter success significantly.

Mottled Grouper species card

Dive with diveshack

Where to Encounter in Malta

Dive sites where Mycteroperca rubra may be encountered will be added as sighting data is collected.

IUCN Red ListEndangered

Conservation Status

This species is assessed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Mediterranean populations face ongoing pressure from fishing activity, habitat degradation, and climate-driven changes.

Source: IUCN Red List
diveshack Mediterranean Marine Life guide