Mycteroperca olfax
Identification.
Large grouper, regionally endemic to the Eastern Tropical Pacific, mainly found in Galapagos.
Galápagos context.
Called "bacalao" (Spanish for cod) after a salt-and-dry preservation method Norwegian settlers introduced in the late 1920s. It made up nearly 100% of finfish landings in the 1940s and 89% in the 1970s, but has collapsed to around 17% recently.
Encounter context.
Seen on reef and rocky-bottom dives across the islands.
Seasonality.
Present year-round.