Epinephelus quernus

The Hawaiian grouper (Hyporthodus quernus, formerly Epinephelus quernus) is a species of marine fish in the family Serranidae. It is large inquisitive inhabitant endemic to the Hawaiian Archipelago (most common around Midway and Kure Atoll) and Johnston Island. The Hawaiian grouper prefers deep cool waters and has been sighted at 380 ft. It is carnivorous and feeds on fishes and large invertebrates, attaining a length and weight of at least 3 feet and 50 pounds. Hawaiian groupers are protogynious and reproduce externally (fertilization in open water/substratum egg scatterers). They do not guard their eggs once laid. It is a long-lived, commercially important species (member of the 'Deep Seven') and highly sensitive to over-harvesting. The species is currently listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Least Concern (LC). The Hawaiian name for this grouper is hāpu‘u, juveniles known as hāpu‘upu‘u.