The term “grouper” comes from the word for the fish, most widely thought to be from the Portuguese name, garoupa. The origin of this name in Portuguese is considered to be from an indigenous South American language.  Around australia, the name “groper” can be used as an alternative to “grouper” for assorted species, for example the Queensland grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus). In the Philippines, it is named lapu-lapu in Luzon, around the Visayas and Mindanao it goes by the name pugapo. In New Zealand, “groper” denotes a kind of wreckfish, Polyprion oxygeneios, which goes by the Maori name of hapuku. In the Middle East, the fish is termed a hammour, and is widely eaten, mainly in the Persian Gulf region.

The everyday snook (Centropomus undecimalis) can be a type of marine fish in the family Centropomidae from the order Perciformes. This species is native to the coastal waters within the western Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, from southern Florida and Texas to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The oo might be pronounced like either room or good. Common snook are protandric hermaphrodites, changing from male to female after maturation. This transition is identified by the presence of both female and male sex cells in the gonads and takes place once they grow to between 9.4-24 inches (24.0-82.4 cm) fork length which corresponds to 1-7 years of age. A written report conducted in 2000, established that the sex ratios for common snook ages 0 – 2 are significantly skewed between the east and west coasts of Florida (USA) attributable to protrandry and differences in growth and mortality rates. A large amount of small common snook are male and a lot large snook are female. Males reach sexual maturity in their initial year at 5.9-7.9 inches (15.0-20.0 cm) fork length. Research has shown that female gonads mature right from the mature male gonads following spawning. The probability that a common snook of a particular size will certainly be a female increases with length or age.

Tarpons grow to about 5-8 ft. long and weigh 80-280 lbs. They may have dorsal and anal soft rays and also have a bluish or greenish back. Tarpons possess distinctive lateral lines and have shiny silvery scales which cover most of the body excluding the head. Tarpons have large eyes with adipose eyelids along with a broad mouth along with a prominent lower jaw that juts out farther than the remainder of the face. Stage one developing Megalops never forage for food but rather absorb nutrients from sea water using integumentary absorption. Stage two and three juveniles feed primarily on zooplankton and also eat insects and small fish. As they progress in juvenile development, especially those developing in freshwater environments, their intake of insects, fish, crabs, and grass shrimp increases. Adults are strictly carnivorous and kill mid-water prey; they swallow their food whole and hunt nocturnally.