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Illustration of Rooster hind
fishing forecast

rooster hind

Hyporthodus acanthistius · full profile

location

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period

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the species

everything about the rooster hind

how to recognize it

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.

Also called: garoupa-galo, garoupa, cherna roja, rooster hind

We don't have tips on season, bait or technique for this species yet.

Where to look: Isolated reefs and sandy bottoms near the coast, 46 to 90 m.

Lives in the eastern Pacific, from southern California (USA) to Peru, passing through Mexico, Central America, Colombia and Ecuador.

rules for the rooster hind

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.

IUCN global: VU · vulnerable.

how much it weighs without taking it out of the water

estimated weight

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how we calculate

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%.

more about 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.

Family: Epinephelidae · predator

fun facts

  • In the Gulf of California it is common, although rare in shallow water.

similar species

sources and references (2)

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.

  1. scientific FishBase: Hyporthodus acanthistius (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
  2. scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Hyporthodus acanthistiusNames by country and language.