Plectropomus maculatus

Plectropomus maculatus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Serranidae
Subfamily:	Epinephelinae
Genus:	Plectropomus
Species:	P. maculatus
Binomial name
Plectropomus maculatus (Bloch, 1790)
Synonyms
Bodianus maculatus Bloch, 1790 Plectropoma maculatum (Bloch, 1790) Plectropomus maculates (Bloch, 1790)

Plectropomus maculatus, also known as spotted coral grouper, Barcheek coral trout or Coastal coral trout is one of eight species from the Plectropomus family.

They are found in the Western Pacific, including Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Arafura Sea, Solomon Islands, and Australia. They are often found on nearshore, coastal reefs in depths of 3 to 30 metres (10 to 98 ft).

Plectropomus maculatus can be red, pale grey or olive to dark brown with numerous small blue elongate spots on head, body and fins. They have been reported to 125 cm (49 in) but scientific record is 85 cm (33 in) and 9.7 kg (21 lb) for a fish captured by a spearfisher at Moreton Island, Queensland in 2017 and a 6.4 kg (14 lb) captured by a line fisher at Broadhurst Reef in 1987.

Plectropomus maculatus are prone to greater physiological stress responses in shallow aquarium waters than Plectropomus leopardus. The former displayed higher levels of cortisol, glucose, lactate, hemoglobin, and hematocrit than the latter; lactate concentration (responsible for muscle movement) in Plectropomus maculatus was especially heightened when they were thrashing.  

References

4. Frisch, A., & Anderson, T. (2005). Physiological stress responses of two species of coral trout (Plectropomus leopardus and Plectropomus maculatus). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part a Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 140(3), 317–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpb.2005.01.014