Liza's Reef, coral reef art             The Emerald Grouper               
 

 

Home

MAIN SECTIONS OF WEBSITE
The Paintings of Liza's Reef
        
The Story of Liza's Reef
         Exhibition Calendar
         Auction of Paintings in 2015  
         Liza's Reef Art Book 
         Painting Technique
         Art Biography
         Early Paintings
Hope For The Oceans
Hope For The Rain Forests
The Reef Store -Gifts and Prints

THE LIZA'S REEF PROJECT
About Liza's Reef
Frequently Asked Questions
Organizations Liza's Reef is Helping
Liza's Reef Project History

Publicity & Reviews
Artist and Website Author

FEATURES & RESOURCES
Environmental News of the Week
Mass Extinction of Species
World Environmental Organizations
WNC Environmental Organizations
Photography of Liza Schillo 
Subscribe to Liza's Reef Newsletter

Search Website
Site Map 

 

The Emerald Grouper, painting # 9 in the Liza's Reef Serie, by Lee James Pantas

Painting #9 "The Emerald Grouper 36" x 48"

ABOUT THE PAINTING

The Emerald Grouper (Merou Emeraude) is  the largest  fish that lives on Liza's Reef, and there have been reports over the years of immense specimens that measured overDetail from The Emerald Grouper, painting #9 in the Liza's Reef Series, by Lee James Pantas twenty feet in length and weighing up to 1200 kg. If true, this rivals in size the Giant Groupers found in the Atlantic Ocean. Like other members of their species, The Emerald Groupers have extremely long life spans, and it is thought that they can live for over 100 years. Unlike other groupers however, the Emerald Groupers have brilliant coloration, ranging from deep blues to iridescent  greens, something not found in other members of this typically drab family. This distinctly non-camouflaged appearance may be due to the complete lack of predators that would prey on the groupers,  since even the giant Starry Eyed Sharks do not seem to bother them, and may instead be linked to sexual attraction integral to their mating behaviors.

The northern slope of Liza's Reef, an area the groupers seem to prefer, is also home to stands of giant kelp that tower above the coral. Stretching for thousands of meters along the coral reef, these kelp forests are home to a great variety of fish, including happy little green, blue and white tangs known to the VanuaSemians as Squeakies, or Aigu Odeurs because of the squeaking noises they make when approached.

   Detail from The Emerald Grouper, painting #9 in the Liza's Reef Series, by Lee James Pantas      Detail from The Emerald Grouper, painting #9 in the Liza's Reef Series, by Lee James Pantas      Detail from The Emerald Grouper, painting #9 in the Liza's Reef Series, by Lee James Pantas


To Painting #10  "The Heart of the Reef"