Crimson snapper (Lutjanus erythropterus)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Eupercaria incertae sedis · Family: Lutjanidae · Genus: Lutjanus.

Accepted name: Lutjanus erythropterus · Authority: Bloch, 1790 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 276534.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Diacope annularis Kühl.; Diacope metallicus (Kuhl & van Hasselt); Genyoroge macleayana Ramsay, 1883; Lutianus erythropterus Bloch, 1790; Lutjanus altifrontalis Chan, 1970; Lutjanus annularis (Cuvier, 1828); Lutjanus chirtah (Cuvier, 1828); Lutjanus erytropterus Bloch, 1790; Lutjanus longmani Whitley, 1937; Mesoprion annularis Cuvier, 1828; Mesoprion chirtah Cuvier, 1828; Mesoprion rubellus Cuvier, 1828.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=276534 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

Measured values published by FishBase for Lutjanus erythropterus. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 81.5999984741211 cm · Common length: 45 cm · Depth range: 5–100 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 42.5 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.

FishBase notes: Adults inhabit trawling grounds and reefs. They are present over shoals, rubble, corals, large epibenthos, hard or sandy mud substrates and offshore reefs (Ref. 6390). Usually in groups (Ref. 90102). Juveniles from about 2.5 cm length inhabit shallow waters over muddy substrates (Ref. 6390).

Feed on a broad range of prey dominated by fish, and with small amounts of crustaceans, cephalopods and other benthic invertebrates (Ref. 6390). They forage mostly at night (Ref. 6390). They are marketed either gilled and gutted, whole as fillets, as fresh chilled or frozen product (Ref. 6390).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 1406) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Lutjanus-erythropterus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

2,386 georeferenced occurrence records for Lutjanus erythropterus are published through GBIF from 21 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 188 distinct locations from a sample of 2,386 records, omitting 48 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: Australia (2,246); Indonesia (27); Chinese Taipei (24); China (18); Thailand (14).

The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2384787) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2384787&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=276534 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Lutjanus erythropterus Bloch, 1790 as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 166905) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/166905/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2384787) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2384787/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Lutjanus erythropterus was first formally described in 1790 by the German physician and zoologist Marcus Elieser Bloch with the type locality given as Nagasaki. The specific name is a compound of erythros meaning "red" and pterus meaning "fin", a reference to the red median fins.

Description

Lutjanus erythropterus has a moderately deep body which has a standard length of around two and half times its depth with a steeply sloped head and a large eye. The knob and incision on the preoperculum are weakly developed. The vomerine teeth are arranged a crescent shape with no rearwards extension and there are no teeth on the smooth tongue. The dorsal fin contains 11 spines and 12–14 soft rays and the anal fin has 3 spines and 8–9 soft rays.

The long pectoral fins extend to the level of the anus and contains 17 rays. The caudal fin is truncate. The maximum total length recorded for this species is 81.6 cm although 45 cm is more typical. The colour of the adults is pinklish-red to silver, may have a darker red posterior margin on the caudal fin and a light vertical bar behind head.

Distribution and habitat

Lutjanus erythropterus has an Indo-Pacific distribution. Its distribution extends from the Gulf of Oman east to the Admiralty Islands of Papua New Guinea, south to northern Australia and north to southern Japan. This species is likely to be associated with silty substrates in deeper waters, but is sometimes recorded forming schools over reefs and wrecks at depths greater than 20 m. Juveniles, once they have attained a length of 2.5 cm, settle in shallow waters where there are muddy substrates, sometimes entering estuaries.

Biology

Lutjanus erythropterus is mainly nocturnal, foraging during the night mainly for fish but also for crustaceans, cephalopods and other benthic invertebrates. They spawn in all months of the year in Australia and Indonesia. It is a relatively slow-growing and long-lived species with a maximum lifespan of 42 years.

Fisheries and conservation

Lutjanus erythropterus is considered to be a high quality eating fish which appears in markets on a regular basis, albeit in small quantities. It is caught using handlines and bottom trawls and is targeted alongside the Malabar blood snapper (Lutjanus malabaricus) in Australia by both recreational anglers and commercial fisheries.

It is also a quarry species in Indonesia and the Papua New Guinea for recreational, artisanal and commercial fisheries and part of the catch is exported to be sold internationally, in fact, it is a commercial fishery quarry in many parts of its range. In southern China it is being farmed in aquaculture. The crimson snapper has a wide distribution and a stable population and is strictly protected in some areas and so the IUCN classifies it as Least Concern.

Source: Wikipedia: Lutjanus erythropterus — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutjanus_erythropterus (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.