Lutjanus endecacanthus
Guinea snapper, a data-deficient reef fish of West Africa.
The Guinea snapper, *Lutjanus endecacanthus*, is a marine ray-finned fish belonging to the snapper family Lutjanidae. Its range is the eastern Atlantic Ocean, along the west coast of Africa.
Dutch physician and herpetologist Pieter Bleeker first formally described this species in 1863, giving the type locality as "Ashantee in Guinea." The specific name *endecacanthus* combines *endeka* ("eleven") and *acanthus* ("thorn" or "spine"), a reference to the 11 spines in its dorsal fin. Bleeker also described *L. modestus* in the same year, and it remains unclear whether that name is a synonym of this species or of *L. agennes*. Other authorities suggest *L. endecacanthus* itself may be a synonym of *Lutjanus dentatus*.
This snapper has a moderately deep body and a pointed head with an acute snout. The knob and incision on the preoperculum are weakly developed. Vomerine teeth form a triangular patch, sometimes with a rearward extension. The dorsal fin has 10–11 spines and 13–14 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays. The long pectoral fins, with 17 rays, reach the level of the anus, and the caudal fin is truncate. Adults reach a maximum total length of 85 cm (33 in). Their coloration is brown, darker on the back and upper flanks, paler on the lower flanks, with a silvery abdomen and brown fins. Juveniles often show 6 to 8 vertical lines of white spots on the flanks and a pair of blue lines on the cheek below the eye. Individuals around 15 cm (5.9 in) standard length have a dusky patch with white front and rear margins on the upper part of the caudal peduncle and behind the dorsal fin.
The species occurs in the tropical eastern Atlantic, from Ghana to the mouth of the Congo River. Reports from the Republic of Guinea may be erroneous. It inhabits shallow waters between 5 and 30 m (16–98 ft), associated with reefs, rocky bottoms, and coral reefs. It has also been recorded in brackish lagoons, occasionally in rivers, and in shallow inshore waters.
*Lutjanus endecacanthus* is a predator, feeding mainly on fishes and crustaceans, but its biology is otherwise very poorly known. It is important to artisanal and subsistence fisheries within its range. Because it is known only from museum specimens, and its range and taxonomic status are uncertain, the IUCN lists it as Data Deficient.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Lutjanus endecacanthus
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Lutjanus endecacanthus was first formally described in 1863 by the Dutch physician, herpetologist and ichthyologist Pieter Bleeker, with the type locality given as 'Ashantee in Guinea'. The specific name endecacanthus is a compound of endeka meaning 'eleven' and acanthus meaning a 'thorn' or 'spine', referring to the 11 spines in the dorsal fin. Bleeker also described L. modestus in 1863, and it is not clear whether this is a synonym of this species or of L. agennes. Other authorities consider that this taxon may be a synonym of Lutjanus dentatus.
The species has a moderately deep body with a pointed head and acute snout. The knob and incision on the preoperculum are weakly developed. The vomerine teeth are arranged in a triangular patch, sometimes with a rearwards extension. Adults are brown, darker on the back and upper flanks and paler on the lower flanks, with a silvery abdomen and brown fins. Juveniles often have 6 to 8 vertical lines of white spots on the flanks and a pair of blue lines on the cheek underneath the eye. Individuals with a standard length of 15 cm have a dusky patch with white front and rear margins on the dorsal part of the caudal peduncle and to the rear of the dorsal fin.
It is found in the tropical eastern Atlantic Ocean along the coast of western Africa from Ghana to the mouth of the Congo River; reports from the Republic of Guinea may be erroneous. It occurs in shallow waters at depths between 5 and 30 m, associated with reefs, rocky bottoms, and coral reefs, and has also been recorded in brackish lagoons and occasionally in rivers and shallow inshore waters.
Reader's Guide
Lutjanus endecacanthus is important to artisanal and subsistence fisheries within its range, yet its biology is very poorly known. The species is known only from museum specimens, and its range and taxonomic status are uncertain. As a result, the IUCN has classified its status as Data Deficient. The uncertainty extends to its relationship with other snappers: Bleeker's contemporaneous description of L. modestus may be a synonym of this species or of L. agennes, and some authorities consider L. endecacanthus itself a possible synonym of Lutjanus dentatus. This taxonomic ambiguity, combined with the limited ecological data, means that the Guinea snapper remains a poorly understood component of West African reef and brackish-water ecosystems. Its maximum recorded total length of 85 cm suggests it can reach a substantial size, but without further study its role in local fisheries and its conservation needs cannot be fully assessed.
Did You Know?
- The specific name endecacanthus means 'eleven spines', referring to the 11 spines in the dorsal fin.
- It was first described in 1863 by Pieter Bleeker, a Dutch physician, herpetologist and ichthyologist.
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