Lutjanus endecacanthus

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.

Taxonomy

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.

Description

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.

Distribution and habitat

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.

Fisheries and conservation

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.