Atlantic Grouper

Photo: Billy Bensted-Smith · CC BY-NC

This slow-growing, protogynous hermaphrodite is a keystone predator on Senegalese reefs, controlling populations of smaller reef fish and invertebrates. Large individuals reach 60 kg and are often bold enough to approach divers, a sign of the relative protection these fish enjoy inside the Cap-Vert marine area. They are territorial and tend to occupy the same overhangs for years, making them reliable sightings.