S: 花斑鱼; T: 花斑魚 (huā bān yú) or S: 石斑鱼; T: 石斑魚 (shí bān yú), Epinephelus areolatus, Flower Grouper, Areolate Grouper; Malay: Ikan Kerapu Bintik Bulat / Ikan Kerapu Ekor Putih; Indonesian: Kerapu /Kerabu.
Other English names include yellow-spotted rock cod, areolate rock cod, green-spotted rock cod, squaretail grouper or squaretail rock cod.
This multi-monikered. popular seawater fish, related to sea bass, is caught wild in waters off Guangxi’s southern coast near the Sino-Viet border, but is found in SE Asia and down to Australia’s northern coastline, as well as around India an East Africa.=. It is particularly common in Malaysia and Indonesia.
AquaMaps (2019, October). Computer generated distribution maps for Epinephelus areolatus (Areolate grouper), with modelled year 2050 native range map based on IPCC RCP8.5 emissions scenario. Retrieved from https://www.aquamaps.org.
The fish has a mild flavour and large white flakes. Due to its numbers, it is also a cheaper option than many similar fish.
Considered to be best steamed with ginger whole or sliced in soups, in SE Asia it is a common choice at wedding banquets.
