Diplectrum formosum (the sand perch), Diplectrum radiale (the aquavina), Epinephelus marginatus (the dusky grouper) and
Mycteroperca acutirostris (the comb grouper) are four sympatric serranid of remarkable ecological and commercial importance.
This study investigated the feeding of these four species in the São Sebastião Channel, São Paulo State (southeastern Brazil),
comparing their diet, habitat utilization and morphological features related to foraging. These four serranids are opportunistic
visual predators that use a total of nine different tactics to capture their preys, feed mostly on crustaceans during the day and
twilight, and keep stationary and quiescent at night. The ecomorphological study was conducted to test its predictive value to
infer lifestyles. It was verified that such analysis should be used carefully and must be complemented by field observations.
Although morphologically and behaviorally very similar, D. formosum and D. radiale showed different preferences to the
substratum type used by large individuals, which are exclusively sit-and-wait predators. On the other hand, E. marginatus
displayed more sedentary habits than M. acutirostris, the most versatile predator from the studied species. The studied
species of Diplectrum and E. marginatus can be regarded as benthic serranids, while M. acutirostris could be viewed as a
nektobenthic species.