Common bluestripe snapper
A widespread snapper introduced to Hawaii in the 1950s.
The common bluestripe snapper (Lutjanus kasmira) goes by many names: bluestripe snapper, bluebanded snapper, bluestripe sea perch, fourline snapper, blue-line snapper, and moonlighter. It belongs to the snapper family, Lutjanidae. Its natural range stretches from the coast of Africa and the Red Sea, across the Indian Ocean, to the central Pacific. People catch it for food, for sport, and for the aquarium trade.
The species was first formally described in 1775 as *Sciaena kasmira*, with no specific location given, though the Red Sea is considered likely. FishBase credits the description to Peter Forsskål, but the Catalog of Fishes attributes it to J. C. Fabricius, writing in Niebuhr (based on Forsskål) in 1775. The valid scientific name is *Lutjanus kasmira* (Fabricius, 1775). The name *kasmira* comes from the Arabic word for this fish in the Red Sea.
The body is moderately deep, with a steeply sloping head profile and a well-developed notch and knob on the preopercle. The first gill arch has 13 or 14 rakers on the lower limb and 20 to 22 total. The dorsal fin has 10 spines followed by 14 or 15 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 7 or 8 soft rays. Pectoral fins have 15 or 16 rays, and the caudal fin is slightly forked. Scales on the back rise obliquely above the lateral line, which holds 48 to 51 scales. The fish can reach 40 cm (16 in) in length, but most are under 25 cm (9.8 in). Its color is the most obvious feature: the back and sides are bright yellow, fading to white on the lower sides and underside of the head. Four bright-blue stripes run lengthwise along the side, with faint greyish stripes below. Most fins are yellow.
This is one of the most widespread snapper species, found from Egypt’s Red Sea coast south to Madagascar, and east to India, China, Southeast Asia, Australia, and many Pacific islands. Like other snappers, it lives around coral reefs, in shallow lagoons and on outer reef slopes down to at least 60 m (200 ft). In the Marquesas Islands it reaches 180 m (590 ft), and in the Red Sea, 265 m (869 ft). In Hawaii, it also spends time over seagrasses and sandy bottoms. During the day, it often gathers in large groups near coral formations, caves, or wrecks. Young fish school over sandy areas, while larger fish are more solitary and live on deeper reefs.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Lutjanus kasmira
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The common bluestripe snapper was first formally described in 1775 as Sciaena kasmira, with no type locality given but considered likely to be the Red Sea. FishBase attributes the description to Peter Forsskål, while the Catalog of Fishes attributes it to Fabricius in Niebuhr (ex Forsskål) 1775. The specific name kasmira is the Arabic word used for this fish in the Red Sea.
The body is moderately deep with a steeply sloped dorsal head profile and a well-developed preopercular notch and knob. Its color is the most diagnostic feature: the back and sides are bright yellow, fading to white on the lower sides and underside of the head, with four bright-blue stripes running longitudinally on the side and several faint greyish stripes on the lowermost sides. Most fins are yellow. It inhabits coral reefs, shallow lagoons, and outer reef slopes to depths of at least 60 m, reaching 265 m in the Red Sea. Young fish school on sandy substrates, while larger fish are more solitary and inhabit deep reefs.
The bluestripe snapper is part of an unusual mimicry relationship with the goatfish Mulloidichthys mimicus, whose coloration nearly exactly matches that of the snapper. The goatfish school alongside the snapper for predatory protection, presumably being more preferred prey.
Reader's Guide
The common bluestripe snapper is one of the most widespread species of the Lutjanidae, ranging from the Red Sea to the central Pacific. Its introduction to Hawaii in the 1950s is a notable case of marine species translocation. Investigators from Hawaii's Division of Fish and Game imported 11 species of snappers and groupers from Mexico, Kiribati, the Marquesas Islands, and Moorea to fill a perceived vacant ecological niche and increase fishing opportunities. Only three species thrived, dominated by the bluestripe snapper, which now occupies many of the Hawaiian Islands.
Concerns that the snapper would outcompete or prey upon native fish have not been supported by scientific investigation, though it may be competitively dominant over native yellow-fin goatfish for sheltering space when both are present in high densities. A parasitic nematode, Spirocamallanus istiblenni, may have been introduced with the fish, potentially affecting native fishes. Despite its abundance, the species has failed to become important as a food fish in Hawaii due to low market prices, and most fishers view it as a pest. Since 2008, Hawaii has conducted spearfishing contests targeting bluestripes to remove them from Hawaiian waters. Commercially, it is commonly taken by handlines, traps, and gill nets throughout its range, marketed fresh, and is a principal species in the Hawaiian handline fishery.
Did You Know?
- It was introduced to Hawaii in the 1950s from Mexico, Kiribati, the Marquesas Islands, and Moorea.
- A parasitic nematode, Spirocamallanus istiblenni, may have been introduced to Hawaiian waters with this fish.
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