Epinephelus is the largest genus of groupers. It includies several endangered species, such as the Nassau grouper (E. striatus), which can show several color patterns. The genus also contains the largest species of groupers, such as the Atlantic goliath grouper (E. itajara) and the Warsaw grouper (E. nigritus), which can measure 6 feet in length and weigh 500 lbs. Other species in this genus include the Hong Kong grouper (E. akaara) and the north American species calico grouper (E. drummondhayi), yellow grouper (E. flavolimbatus) and red grouper (E. morio).
With more than 20 species, the genus Mycteroperca includes the black grouper (M. bonaci), native to the Atlantic cost of the Americas, and the the yellowfin grouper (M. venenosa), which contains a toxin that can cause human poisoning if consumed. Other species include Mycteroperca microlepis, which often weigh less than 10 lbs; Mycteroperca interstitialis, which like other groupers feed mainly on smaller fish species; and Mycteroperca jordani or the Gulf grouper, which is an endangered species.
Some species of the genus Cephalopholis feature colorful bodies, including the coney grouper (Cephalopholis fulva), which is white and red with small blue spots. The peacock grouper (Cephalopholis argus) is one of the most widely distributed groupers, found from the Red Sea to South Africa, as well as southeast Asia, northern Australia and Hawaii. Other species in the genus include the golden grouper (Cephalopholis indelibilis), the rusty grouper (Cephalopholis aitha) and the graysby grouper (Cephalopholis cruentata), also found in North America.
Species in this genus include the yellowbanded grouper (Acanthistius cinctus), native to eastern Australia; the koester grouper (Acanthistius sebastoides), which shows yellow spots on a light yellow body and is common in southern Africa; and the bright orange Scalyjaw koester grouper (Acanthistius joanae). The Argentine grouper (Acanthistius brasilianus) is native to southern South America while the Western wirrah (Acanthistius serratus) is endemic to southern Australia.