rooster hind
Hyporthodus acanthistius
Red grouper of sandy bottoms and isolated reefs of the eastern Pacific. It is threatened, so the best option is to identify it and release it.
Also called: garoupa-galo, garoupa, cherna roja, rooster hind
- maximum
- 100 cm
- depth
- 46–90 m
who is the rooster hind
The rooster grouper is a fish of the family Epinephelidae and reaches 100 cm. It lives in the eastern Pacific, from southern California, United States, to Peru, on isolated reefs and sandy bottoms near the coast, 46 to 90 m deep. It is uncommon in shallow water and of little importance to commercial fishing, but it is common in the Gulf of California. For sport anglers it is an occasional catch. It is threatened, so the best option is to identify it and release it.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the rooster hind; in the meantime, see the similar species.
fun facts
- In the Gulf of California it is common, although rare in shallow water.
identification
Body and head dark reddish-brown or brown. Above the maxilla there is a striking black band shaped like a moustache. The pectoral fins are darker than the body, and so are the tips of the dorsal fin membranes. Compare it with the starry grouper (Hyporthodus niphobles), whose adults are dark brown with no pale spots, and with the olive grouper (Hyporthodus cifuentesi), which is pale brown with a greenish sheen.
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
Lives in the eastern Pacific, from southern California (USA) to Peru, passing through Mexico, Central America, Colombia and Ecuador.
Habitat: Isolated reefs and sandy bottoms near the coast, 46 to 90 m.
rules for the rooster hind
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
Poses no danger to anglers. It is threatened: identify it, handle it carefully and release it promptly. Coming up from 46 to 90 m, it may suffer barotrauma on the way up.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01072, b = 3.03; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Hyporthodus acanthistius (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Hyporthodus acanthistiusNames by country and language.
