Systematic studies of Coral-Cods (Serranidae) from the Andaman sea (Phuket Province) Thailand

Abstract

Phuket Province is located on Phuket island, the largest island of Thailand, it also includes twenty-six small islands, they are in the Andaman Sea. Fish fauna in those islands are more or less rich and diverse in different areas of study. One of the most interesting groups is Serranids, the coral-cods family. They are recognized as being abundant in tropical seas. Most of them are edible and several are ornamental species. Thirty - seven species so far were collected in the water around Phuket and adjacent islands. There are eleven genera, they are : Anthias, Anyperodon, Cephalopholis, cromileptes, Diploprion, Epinephelus, Grammistes, Plectropoma, Pogonoperca, Promicrops and Variola. Some nine of eleven genera have only one species of each. Four species of the serranids are found to be new records of fish fauna from Thai - waters.