Validation of <i>Epinephelus coioides</i> (Hamilton, 1822) occurrence along north-east coast of India

Abstract

Present study is to identify and validation of the species using different methods like morphological and meristic characters including pyloric caeca count and pattern and by DNA bar-coding. Morphological and meristic characters of the species landed in Visakhapatnam and Paradeep are in close proximity to the earlier reports for <i>E. coioides</i>, and is distinctly different from <i>E. tauvina</i>. Molecular studies using DNA bar-coding also revealed high similarity with <i>E. coioides</i> and low similarity with <i>E. tauvina</i>. It is therefore concluded that the particular grouper species landed along north-east coast is <i>E. coioides</i> and not <i>E. tauvina</i>.