Etelis carbunculus
A reddish snapper of the Indo-Pacific, targeted by fisheries.
Etelis carbunculus goes by several common names, including deep-water red snapper, ruby snapper, longtail snapper, and ehu. It belongs to the ray-finned fish family Lutjanidae and lives across the Indo-Pacific region.
This fish has an elongated body, a small head, and large eyes, with a flat area between the eyes. Its mouth reaches back to the middle of the eye, and each jaw holds a single row of conical teeth, with one or two enlarged canine pairs at the front. The vomerine teeth form a slender V-shaped patch. Compared to related species, its forked tail fin has relatively short lobes. The continuous dorsal fin has a deep notch between its spiny and soft sections, and the last soft ray of both the dorsal and anal fins extends beyond the membrane, longer than the second-to-last ray. The dorsal fin has 10 spines and 11 soft rays; the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays, and neither fin has scales. The long pectoral fins are nearly as long as the head. The largest recorded fork length is 127 cm (50 in), though a total length of 65 cm (26 in) is more common. Its overall color is reddish to pinkish, with a whitish belly. The dorsal and tail fins have red margins, and the lower lobe of the tail fin has a white tip.
The species has a broad distribution across the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It ranges from the Red Sea south to Mozambique and the Persian Gulf, then across the Indian Ocean into the Pacific. In the Pacific, it extends north to Japan, south to Australia, and east to Hawaii. It has also been recorded around Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands off northern New Zealand. In Australia, it appears from Geraldton in Western Australia east into the Arafura Sea, northeast of Darwin in the Northern Territory, and onto the outer Great Barrier Reef off Queensland, possibly farther south. It also occurs at Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea, as well as at Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
This fish lives over rocky substrates and rocky reefs at depths between 90 and 400 m (300 and 1,310 ft), near the seafloor. It has been reported forming groups. It is a predator, feeding on fish, squid, crustaceans, and zooplankton. In Vanuatu, it breeds year-round, with spawning peaking in November.
A monopisthocotylean monogenean from the genus *Lagenivaginopseudobenedenia* parasitizes *E. carbunculus*.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Etelis carbunculus
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Etelis carbunculus was first formally described in 1828 by French zoologist Georges Cuvier, with the type locality given as Mahé in the Seychelles. It was the only species in the genus Etelis at that time, making it the type species of the genus. The specific name carbunculus means 'ruby red precious stone,' a reference to the fish's reddish color. The species has a wide distribution across the Indian and Pacific Oceans, from the Red Sea and East Africa to Japan, Australia, Hawaii, and New Zealand's Manawatāwhi / Three Kings Islands. It occurs over rock substrates and rocky reefs at depths between 90 and 400 m, and has been reported forming aggregations. It is a predatory species feeding on fishes, squid, crustaceans, and zooplankton. In Vanuatu, breeding occurs all year round, with spawning peaking in November.
Reader's Guide
Etelis carbunculus is a target for fisheries throughout its range, with stocks reported to be declining in some regions. It is caught using bottom longlines and deep handlines and is an important food fish sold fresh or frozen. In Australia, its stock is managed under the Western Deep Water Fishery. The species is also notable for hosting a monopisthocotylean monogenean parasite of the genus Lagenivaginopseudobenedenia, which has what is possibly the longest valid generic name in zoological nomenclature for a non-fossil organism. Its elongated body, large eye, and relatively short caudal fin lobes distinguish it from congeners. The maximum recorded fork length is 127 cm, though a total length of 65 cm is more typical. The overall color is reddish to pinkish with a whitish abdomen, and red margins on the dorsal and caudal fins, the latter with a white tip on its lower lobe.
Did You Know?
- The specific name carbunculus means 'ruby red precious stone,' referring to the fish's reddish color.
- It is the type species of the genus Etelis, first described by Georges Cuvier in 1828.
- The parasite Lagenivaginopseudobenedenia, which infects this fish, has possibly the longest valid generic name for a non-fossil organism.
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