| Family: |
Lutjanidae (Snappers), subfamily: Lutjaninae |
| Max. size: |
56.8 cm FL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 2,836.0 g; max. reported age: 18 years |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 1 - 150 m |
| Distribution: |
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Line and Society islands, north to southern Japan, south to Australia. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-14; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-8. This species is distinguished by the following characters: body moderately deep; greatest depth 2.2-2.5 in SL; preopercular notch and knob well developed; vomerine tooth patch crescentic, without a medial posterior extension; gill rakers of first gill arch 9-10 + 115-20 = 25-30 (including rudiments); caudal fin distinctly forked with rounded lobes. Colour red to greyish, an orange hue on lower part of opercle and in pectoral fin axil; fins red (pectoral fins) or usually dark brown to blackish; soft part of dorsal fin, anal and caudal fins with a narrow white margin; juveniles with a large round black spot at base of caudal fin (Ref. 9821, 90102).
Description: Dorsal profile of head steeply sloped; preorbital bone broad, much wider than eye diameter; scale rows on back rising obliquely, both above and below the lateral line (Ref. 9821). |
| Biology: |
Adults mainly inhabit coral reefs, sometimes forming large aggregations, which are mostly stationary during the day. Juveniles occur in seagrass beds, also in mixed sand and coral habitats of shallow sheltered reefs (Ref. 1602). Sub-adults commonly form very large schools that are stationary or drift slowly along slopes during the day. Large individuals along coastal slopes at moderate depths (Ref. 48635). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Feed on fishes, and a variety of invertebrates including shrimps, crabs, lobsters, stomatopods, cephalopods, echinoderms and ophiuroids (Ref. 55). Caught mainly with handlines, traps, and gill nets. Commonly sold fresh. Sometimes causes ciguatera poisoning, particularly around the Pacific islands (Ref. 9821). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
reports of ciguatera poisoning |
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