Name/Relations || Range/Sizes || Habitat & Habits ||  Notes

	Changes color to suit environment.

Common Name:  Jewfish
Other Common Names: Junefish, Florida Jewfish
Scientific name:   Epinephelus itajara
Family:  Serranidae (Sea Basses)
Related Species:  Red Grouper, Nassau Grouper, Warsaw Grouper

Sizes:   To 750 lbs (8 feet!+), common 1lb-5lbs.

Habitat: Juveniles and adults inshore in bays and near shore waters, to 100 feet.  Lives in holes, caves, and cavities around bridge pilings and jetties in passes, and in shallow reefs.

Spawning Habits:  Changes gender- starts as female and becomes male as it ages.  Spawns over reefs and wrecks inshore in early spring. The eggs hatch and young hang near the surface and around vegetation, eventually taking residence inshore.

Feeding Habits:  If it moves and fits in its mouth, it is dinner.  Primarily an ambush predator, that lurks in or near structure.  When a food item (mostly fishes and crustaceans) approaches, the grouper darts out and engulfs it, then retreats to its den.  Will also eat freshly dead fishes if they are presented near its lair. Prefers octopus, lobsters, and very large prey, such as  jacks, grunts, snappers, sea trout, and drums. Feeds largely at night.

Notes:  A giant among groupers, the Jewfish once abounded in Florida's shallow waters, where it was targeted using chains and heavy ropes from bridges and the shoreline, using large sea trout as bait.  Every pass had its giant. Due to its long life span, inshore habitat, and gender changing, its population was severely decimated by the 1970's, and is listed as endangered in U.S. waters. This fish is very curious, and will investigate anything that approaches its home.  This curiosity has also lead it to bump, and very rarely, attempt to swallow divers.  It is protected in Florida.