蜂巢石斑鱼 (Epinephelus merra) 是南海珊瑚礁鱼类的代表种。文章以2018—2019年南沙群岛海域和中、西沙群岛海域采集的蜂巢石斑鱼样本为研究对象，研究了其年龄和生长、体长和体质量、性比和性成熟度、摄食强度、肥满度等生物学特征，旨在深入了解该鱼的生长规律和种群特征。结果表明，南沙群岛海域蜂巢石斑鱼优势体长组为80~160 mm，体长和体质量关系异速生长因子 (b) 为2.783 5，平均肥满度为2.24，其von Bertalanffy生长方程生长参数中渐近体长 (L∞) 为183 mm，生长系数 (k) 为0.260，起始生长年龄 (t0) 为−1.268；中、西沙群岛海域蜂巢石斑鱼的优势体长组为110~160 mm，体长和体质量关系b为2.592 5，平均肥满度为2.02，其von Bertalanffy生长方程生长参数中 L∞为260 mm，k为0.128，t0为−2.494。南沙、中、西沙群岛海域共计61个蜂巢石斑鱼耳石样本年龄介于1~6龄，优势年龄组为1~2龄。两海域性腺成熟度均以Ⅱ期为主，摄食等级均以1级为主。与中、西沙群岛海域相比，南沙群岛海域的蜂巢石斑鱼群体表现出体型较小、生长速度快等特征。“,”Epinephelus merra is a representative species of coral reef fishes in the South China Sea. Based on E. merra samples collected from the coral reef waters of Nansha and Zhongxisha Islands during 2018 and 2019, we investigated its biological characteristics such as age and growth, body length and body mass, sex ratio, sex gonad maturity, feeding intensity and fatness, in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the growth pattern and population characteristics of E. merra in the coral reef waters of the South China Sea. The results show that the dominant body length of E. merra in Nansha Islands was 80−160 mm; the allometric growth factor (b value) of the relationship of body length and body mass was 2.783 5; the average of fatness was 2.24; the estimated parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth equation were L∞=183 mm, k=0.260 and t0= −1.268. The dominant body length of E. merra in Zhongxisha Islands was 110–160 mm; the b value of relationship of body length and body mass was 2.592 5; the average of fatness was 2.02; the estimated parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth equation were L∞=260 mm, k=0.128 and t0= −2.494. The age of 61 individuals in Nansha and Zhongxisha Islands ranged from 1 to 6 years old, and the dominant age group was 1–2 years old. The gonad maturities of the two sea areas were mainly at Stage II, while the feeding grade was mainly at Stage I. Compared with the Zhongxisha Islands, the E. merra stock in the Nansha Islands had smaller size and faster growth rate.