Lutjanus maxweberi

The pygmy snapper (Lutjanus maxweberi) is a ray-finned fish in the snapper family Lutjanidae. It lives in the western Pacific Ocean and has only been recorded in fresh and brackish waters.

Dutch ichthyologist Canna Maria Louise Popta first scientifically described this species in 1921, using a specimen collected on the Siboga expedition. The type location is Muna Island, off Sulawesi. Popta originally spelled the genus as Lutianus and the species name as max weberi, but these are now considered misspellings. The species name honors Dutch ichthyologist Max Weber, who led the expedition.

The pygmy snapper has a fairly deep body, with its standard length measuring 2.2 to 2.7 times its deepest point. Its forehead slopes steeply, and the preopercular notch and knob are faint. The vomerine teeth form a crescent or triangular patch without a rearward extension, and the tongue has no teeth.

The dorsal fin has 10 spines and 13 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays. Both the dorsal and anal fins are rounded or slightly angular at the rear. The pectoral fins have 16 rays, and the caudal fin is emarginate.

Juveniles have a whitish body with four dark brown to blackish stripes along the sides. Adults are plain brownish on the back and sides, with whitish undersides. The maximum known standard length is 15 cm (5.9 in).

This species is found in the Philippines, Sulawesi, and New Guinea. Juveniles inhabit mangrove-lined inlets, brackish waters, and freshwater streams, but the habitat of adults is unknown.

Little is known about its biology. It has been observed in small groups.