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John Dodrill et al. 
measure individual fish, because sometimes 12-15 grouper would be 
brought on deck at the same time. Grouper were secured in retain- 
ing boxes before gutting. As fish were cleaned, mouths and throats 
were examined, and boxes were checked for regurgitated prey. Be- 
tween drifts the deck was scanned for regurgitated foods before 
rinsing. The senior author examined most grouper caught but gutted 
only about half, relying on the other crew members to recover food 
from the remainder. 
Catches were predominantly snowy grouper, but other species 
were occasionally caught (Table 2). If there was any question as to 
which species regurgitated given items, which was infrequent, the 
items were not recorded. Regurgitated items less than 15 mm were 
Table 2. Additional fish species and numbers captured on hook and line in 141 — 
236 m off central North Carolina during the time frame when snowy grouper were 
sampled, 1985-86. 
Species Number Caught 
Blueline tilefish ( Caulolatilus microps Goode and Bean) 358 
Banded rudderfish ( Seriola zonata) (Mitchell) 90 
Vermilion snapper ( Rhomboplites aurorubens ) (Cuvier) 57 
Yellowedge grouper {Epinephelus flavolimbatus) (Poey) 52 
Red porgy {Pagrus pagrus Linnaeus) 51 
Almaco jack (, Seriola rivoliana Valenciennes) 45 
Blackbelly rosefish ( Helicolenus dactylopterus ) (Delaroche) 16 1 
Conger eel ( Conger oceanicus) (Mitchell) 12 2 
Greater amberjack {Seriola dumerili ) (Risso) 6 
Spinycheek scorpionfish (. Neomerinthe hemingwayi Fowler) 5 1 
Reticulate moray {Muraena retifera Goode and Bean) 4 
Scalloped hammerhead shark {Sphyrna lewini ) (Griffith and Smith) 4 
Night shark {Carcharhinus signatus) (Poey) 3 2 
Bignose shark {Carcharhinus altimus ) (Springer) 2 
Tiger shark {Galeocerdo cuiveri ) (Person and Lesueur) 1 
Tilefish {Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps Goode and Bean) 1 1 
Purplemouth moray {Gymnothorax vicinus ) (Castelnau) 1 
Shark toothed moray {Gymnothorax madierensis) 1 
Wreckfish {Polyprion americanus ) (Schneider) 1 
Barrelfish {Hyperogloyphe periformis) (Mitchell) 1 
Misty grouper {Epinephelus mystacinus ) (Poey) 1 
Speckled hind {Epinephelus drummondhayi Goode and Bean) 1 
Gymnothorax kolpos 1 
Total 714 
1 Between Cape Lookout and Hatteras beyond 219 m. 
2 Captured only at dusk or night. 
