Papuan black snapper

Lore & Background

Lutjanus goldiei was first formally described in 1882 by Scots-born Australian naturalist William John Macleay, who named it Mesoprion goldiei. The specific name honors Andrew Goldie, a Scots-born merchant and explorer who provided Macleay with specimens and notes. The type locality is Hood Bay in Papua New Guinea. The species has a relatively deep body with a steep forehead, weak preopercular incision and knob, and a crescent-shaped vomerine tooth patch. It has a large eye with a reddish yellow iris and black pupil. The dorsal and anal fins have rounded rear profiles, and the caudal fin is truncate. Two color phases exist: one entirely blackish, the other with 6-7 wide greyish bars on the flanks; juveniles are always barred. The species was once thought confined to southern New Guinea between Port Moresby and the Fly River, but has since been found in Sabah, Borneo, and possibly other islands. It inhabits freshwater streams and rivers, as well as brackish estuarine environments, and has been recorded up to 828 km inland in the Fly River, though typically 200-400 km from the sea.

Reader's Guide

Lutjanus goldiei is a popular sporting fish that has fostered a safari-angling economy in New Guinea and Sabah. Game fishers travel to these regions specifically to catch this species, which is considered a bucket-list fish by anglers worldwide. Several tour operators target the Papuan black bass. It occasionally appears in the fish market at Port Moresby. Besides angling, it is caught using spears, handlines, traps, and gill nets. The species has not been evaluated by the IUCN. It gained further exposure through television: it was featured in the River Monsters episode 'Volcanic Island Terror' (season 9, episode 5, first broadcast 21 May 2017) and in episode 3 of season 5 of Extreme Fishing with Robson Green. The species is an opportunistic predator, preying on crabs, snakes, fishes, small crocodiles, and mammals. Juveniles reside further up rivers and in shallower areas for protection, and are also found in mangroves. Larvae are thought to be marine, though no records exist of the species in purely marine environments.

Did You Know?

• The specific name goldiei honors Andrew Goldie, a Scots-born merchant and explorer who provided specimens to William John Macleay.
• This species has been recorded up to 828 km inland from the sea in the Fly River.
• It comes in two color phases: one entirely blackish, and one with 6-7 wide greyish bars on the flanks.