Snowy Grouper Feeding 
127 
Table 5. Continued 
Species 
Source 
Area All Crabs 
Crustaceans 
Fish 
Naughton and 
Saloman (1985) 
Northwest 
Florida 
3.5 
3.0 
95.1 
See Parrish (1987) 
South 
Carolina 
0.2 
0.0 
96.0 
M. phenax 
Scamp 
Matheson et al. 
(1986) 
North 
Carolina 
and South 
Carolina 
1.0 
0.5 
90.0 
See Parrish 
(1987) 
South 
Carolina 
0.0 
0.0 
90.0 
M. spp 
Scamp/yellowmouth 
Nelson et al. 
(1986) 
Texas Flower 
Garden 
2.1 
0.0 
97.8 
M. tigris 
Tiger grouper 
Randall (1967) 
Caribbean 
0.0 
0.0 
100.0 
M. veneosa 
Yellowfin grouper 
Randall (1967) 
Caribbean 
0.8 
0.0 
95.3 
Paranthias jurcifer 
Creole-fish 
Randall (1967) 
Caribbean 
79.2 
0.0 
0.0 
Nelson et al. 
(1986) 
Texas Flower 
Garden 
36.7 
0.0 
5.8 
Serranus tigrinus 
Randall (1967) 
Caribbean 
90.3 
7.8 
9.7 
S. tortugarum 
Chalk bass 
Randall (1967) 
Caribbean 
92.0 
0.0 
0.0 
1 All reported to be color phases of a single species, butter hamlet ( Hypoplectus 
unicolor ). 
porgy and vermilion snapper were caught beyond 142 m; none were 
caught in waters deeper than 165 m. 
Grouping major foods into crustacean, fish, and squid catego- 
ries revealed the following percentages of total food volume (mL): 
red porgy — 49, 15, and 1% (Manooch 1977); vermilion snapper — 
38, 9, and 37% (Grimes 1979); blueline tilefish — 64, 32, and insig- 
nificant percent, respectively (Ross 1982). Snowy grouper had values 
of 73, 17, and 10% for crustaceans, fishes, and squids, respectively 
(Table 3). 
Snowy grouper feeding mechanics differ from those of blueline 
tilefish, vermilion snapper, and red porgy. Snowy grouper engulf 
prey whole by suction into their mouths. Red porgy and blueline 
tilefish might also employ suction but then use their strong teeth to 
