Lutjanus malabaricus
A wide-ranging Indo-Pacific snapper prized as a food fish.
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Lutjanus malabaricus, known by numerous common names including Malabar blood snapper, saddletail snapper, red emperor, and scarlet sea-perch, is a species of marine ray-finned fish in the family Lutjanidae. It is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific, ranging east to Fiji and Japan, and is notable for its high-quality flesh, which makes it a target for commercial, artisanal, and recreational fisheries throughout its range.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- ClassActinopterygii
- DivisionTeleostei
- OrderAcanthuriformes
- FamilyLutjanidae
- GenusLutjanus
- SpeciesLutjanus malabaricus
Named by (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
Close relatives
Other species of Lutjanus with a Codexery entry.
- Lutjanus erythropterus Lutjanus erythropterus
- African brown snapper Lutjanus dentatus
- Blackfin snapper Lutjanus buccanella
- Blue and gold snapper Lutjanus viridis
- Bluestriped snapper Lutjanus notatus
- Brazilian snapper Lutjanus alexandrei
- Common bluestripe snapper Lutjanus kasmira
- Cubera snapper Lutjanus cyanopterus
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Lutjanus malabaricus (CC BY-SA 4.0) · differs from this box at order: WoRMS AphiaID 218481 (CC BY 4.0)
Conservation status
Least Concern (LC)
- LC▲ this species
- NT
- VU
- EN
- CR
- EW
- EX
Source: IUCN Red List assessment · GBIF copy of the Red List category
How big is it?
Largest length in the source, 1 m, next to a 1.8 m person.
Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: Wikipedia: Lutjanus malabaricus
Where the lutjanus malabaricus has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (5,321 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 32 inland records left out (institution coordinates). 3 isolated far-off records not drawn.
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Background
Lutjanus malabaricus was first formally described in 1801 as Sparus malabaricus by German naturalists Marcus Elieser Bloch and Johann Gottlob Schneider, with the type locality given as the Coromandel coast in eastern India. The specific name malabaricus means 'of Malabar', a coastal region of southern India. The species has a relatively deep body, with a standard length 2.2 to 2.8 times the body depth, a steeply sloped forehead, and a concave upper snout profile. Its dorsal fin has 11 spines and 12-14 soft rays, the anal fin has 3 spines and 8-9 soft rays, and the caudal fin is truncate.
Adults are red or reddish-orange on the back and flanks, paler below, with reddish fins. Juveniles display a wide diagonal brown or black band from the upper jaw to the front of the dorsal fin, and an obvious black band across the caudal peduncle with a pearly-white front margin; they may also show thin reddish longitudinal stripes on the flanks. The species can be distinguished from the scarlet snapper (Lutjanus erythropterus) by its larger head and mouth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Lutjanus malabaricus's key physical traits?
Its dorsal fin carries 11 spines followed by 12 to 14 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 to 9 soft rays. The pectoral fin typically bears 16 or 17 rays, and its bold coloration has earned it names like 'scarlet sea-perch' and 'red emperor.'
Where does Lutjanus malabaricus live?
This snapper ranges widely across the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific, stretching eastward as far as Fiji and Japan. Its broad Indo-Pacific distribution makes it one of the more geographically widespread members of the Lutjanidae family.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Lutjanus malabaricus (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; compare WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List assessment.
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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