Pristipomoides flavipinnis

The golden eye jobfish, also known as the golden eye snapper, is a ray-finned fish belonging to the snapper family Lutjanidae. Its range covers the Pacific Ocean.

Taxonomy

Japanese zoologist Shiro Shinohara first described this species in 1963, basing the description on a specimen from the Naha Fish Market on Okinawa in Japan’s Ryukyu Islands. The species name flavipinnis means “yellow fins,” referring to the yellowish tint on its dorsal and anal fins.

Description

This fish has an elongated, sturdy body, with a depth roughly one-third of its standard length. The area between its eyes is flat, and its lower jaw sticks out. Both jaws feature an outer row of conical and canine-like teeth, plus an inner row of bristle-like teeth; the lower jaw’s front canines are enlarged. A triangular patch of vomerine teeth is present, but the tongue has none.

The dorsal fin has 10 spines and 12 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays. Neither fin has scales at its base, and the last soft ray of each extends into a short filament. The long pectoral fins, with 16 rays, reach as far as the anus. The caudal fin is forked.

The back and upper sides are pale pinkish, fading to silvery on the lower sides and belly. Dark spots appear on top of the head. In life, the dorsal fin shows a yellowish margin. Maximum total length is 50 cm (20 in), though 35 cm (14 in) is more typical.

Distribution and habitat

The species lives in the Pacific Ocean, from western Thailand and Southeast Asia east to Tahiti, north to Japan’s Ryukyu Islands, and south to Australia. It inhabits depths between 90 and 360 m (300–1,180 ft) over rocky bottoms.

Biology

Its diet consists mainly of bottom-dwelling fishes, supplemented by crustaceans, squids, and pelagic tunicates. Sexual maturity is reached at 2.3 years, with a mean reproductive lifespan of 8.5 years. Spawning occurs year-round, peaking from December to February.

Commercially, this snapper is targeted by fisheries, mostly caught with bottom longlines and handlines. It appears often in fish markets across parts of its range and is exported from Fiji. Because of its smaller size, it is frequently used for deep frying.