Pacific cubera snapper

Lore & Background

Lutjanus novemfasciatus was first formally described in 1862 by American ichthyologist Theodore Nicholas Gill, with the type locality given as Baja California. Its specific name novemfasciatus means 'nine-banded', referring to the nine indistinct bands on its flanks. The species has an oblong body, a sharp snout with two pairs of simple-hole nostrils, and a large protrusible mouth with conical and canine-like teeth, including enlarged fangs at the front longer than the pupil diameter. The vomerine teeth form a crescent-shaped patch with no rearward extension, and the tongue has several patches of granular teeth. The dorsal fin is continuous with 10 spines and 13-14 soft rays, the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays, and the caudal fin may be truncate or weakly emarginate. Overall color varies from dark to pale red, shading to silver on the abdomen; juveniles and most adults have 8-9 vertical bars on the upper flanks, which may fade quickly after death. The inside of the mouth is orange.

Reader's Guide

The Pacific cubera snapper is an important quarry for subsistence fisheries in Colombia and for commercial fisheries in Nicaragua, and is a popular target for spearfishing in the Gulf of California. It is an inshore, reef-associated fish preferring hard substrates, though juveniles have been recorded entering freshwater. A nocturnal predator, it feeds at night on crustaceans and smaller schooling fish such as croakers, grunts, and wrasses, sheltering during daylight hours. In Mexico, this species is migratory, arriving in inshore waters in early summer in most years. Its large size and distinctive barred pattern make it a notable species within its range, though the bars may fade after death. The species is found from southern California to Peru, including the Gulf of California, Galápagos Islands, Cocos Island, and Malpelo Island.

Did You Know?

• The specific name novemfasciatus means 'nine-banded', referring to nine indistinct bands on its flanks.
• It is the largest species of snapper, reaching up to 170 cm total length and 35.7 kg weight.
• The inside of its mouth is orange.