Unusual observations of juveniles of the elusive Sawtail Grouper (Mycteroperca prionura) highlight its association with colonies of Black Coral (Antipathes galapagensis)
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The Sawtail Grouper (Mycteroperca prionura) is a serranid species endemic to the Gulf of California. Notably, very little is known about its ecology. Although M. prionura is rarely observed by scuba divers, it is thought this species prefers deep (30–50 m) rocky reef habitats containing gorgonians or black corals. Mycteroperca prionura is categorized as Data Deficient on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Therefore, any observations of its distribution and habitat improve our understanding of the ecology of this elusive species. In the dataset of an 18-year historical monitoring program in Bahía de La Paz, located in the southern Gulf of California, records of M. prionura were rare. However, during field surveys conducted in 2023 and 2024 at La Gaviota Island, which hosts patches of Black Coral (Antipathes galapagensis) at 15–20 m depth, we regularly observed M. prionura juveniles in close association with colonies of A. galapagensis. Juvenile M. prionura were consistently observed sheltering among A. galapagensis branches, indicating that the structural complexity provided by black corals may offer critical refuge and nursery habitat.
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