It grows in variable forms, from having a continuous surface to being areolate. Commercial fishing for areolate grouper done with long lines and hand lines. Older specimens develop narrow cracks over the surface such that it becomes areolate or rimose. Dorsal skin is weakly pustular, that of venter is smooth to areolate. Dorsum is finely areolate whereas venter is coarsly areolate. A rimose surface of a lichen is sometimes contrasted to the surface being areolate. It is warty (verrucose)with the warts sometimes cracking apart areolate. Rimose and areolate are contrasted with being verrucose, or "warty". Sides, extremities and gular region covered with smaller warts; belly areolate. The areolate grouper is one of about 16 species of groupers commonly raised using aquaculture. The areolate grouper ("Epinephelus areolatus") is a fish of a genus of groupers. Areolate grouper feed on fish and benthic (bottom-dwelling) invertebrates, primarily prawns and crabs.