Golden African snapper

The golden African snapper (Lutjanus fulgens) is a marine ray-finned fish in the snapper family Lutjanidae. It lives in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, along the west coast of Africa from Senegal to Angola, with reports also from Cape Verde and the Gulf of Guinea islands.

First described in 1830 by French zoologist Achille Valenciennes, its type location is Gorée, Senegal. The species name fulgens means "bright" or "brilliant," referring to the vivid lower body color and the shining background hue crossed by 15 to 56 horizontal golden-yellow stripes.

This snapper has a moderately slender body, a short snout, a blunt head, and very large eyes. Its mouth reaches back to below the eye’s center. The vomerine teeth form a triangular patch with a clear rear extension.

The preoperculum’s incision and knob are not well developed. The dorsal fin has 10 spines and 13–14 soft rays; the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays. The pectoral fins are relatively short, not reaching the anus, and the caudal fin is emarginate.

Maximum total length is 60 cm (24 in), though 50 cm (20 in) is more typical. The back and upper flanks are bright pink, while the lower flanks and abdomen are silvery white. Along the flanks, each scale row bears a longitudinal golden stripe.

A demersal species, it is found at depths from 5 to 150 m (16 to 492 ft), with adults living over rock substrates. It is a predator, feeding on other fishes and crustaceans.

The golden African snapper is caught by subsistence and commercial fisheries, mainly using trawl, hook and line, and spearfishing. In Ghana, it is an important coastal fish species and is mostly sold fresh.