John's snapper (Lutjanus johnii)

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 johnii · Authority: (Bloch, 1792) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 218496.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Anthias johnii Bloch, 1792; Coius catus Hamilton, 1822; Diacope xanthozona Kuhl, 1828; Lutianus johni (Bloch, 1792); Lutjanus johni (Bloch, 1792); Mesoprion yapilli Cuvier, 1828; Serranus pavoninus Valenciennes, 1831; Sparus tranquebaricus Shaw, 1803.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=218496 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 106 cm · Common length: 50 cm · Depth range: 0–80 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 65 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.

FishBase notes: Adults probably frequent coral reef areas; juveniles found in mangrove estuaries (Ref. 30573). Feed on fishes and benthic invertebrates including shrimps, crabs and cephalopods. In Hong Kong live fish markets (Ref. 27253).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 264) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Lutjanus-johnii.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

2,020 georeferenced occurrence records for Lutjanus johnii are published through GBIF from 32 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 158 distinct locations from a sample of 2,020 records, omitting 109 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 (1,668); India (61); Malaysia (51); Indonesia (49); Philippines (30).

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

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2384936) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2384936&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=218496 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Lutjanus johnii (Bloch, 1792) 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 172495) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/172495/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2384936) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2384936/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Lutjanus johnii was first formally described in 1792 as Anthias johnii by the German naturalist Marcus Elieser Bloch with the type locality given as Surat where the Tapti River estuary meets the Gulf of Khambhat in the Arabian Sea. The specific name, johnii, honours the German naturalist Christoph Samuel John (1747–1813), who was a missionary in India from 1771 until his death and who collected specimens for Bloch at the Danish colony of Tranquebar.

Lutjanus johnii has a moderately deep body in which its standard length is 2,4 to 2.9 its depth at the deepest point. It has a steeply sloped forehead and the incision and know on the preoperculum are weakly developed The vomerine teeth are arranged in a crescent shaped patch with no rearwards extension although there is a patch of granular teeth on the tongue. The dorsal fin has 10 spines and 13-14 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays. The soft part of the dorsal fin and the anal fin have a rounded shape. The pectoral fins have 16 or 17 rays and the caudal fin is truncate or weakly emarginate. This fish attains a maximum total length of 97 cm, although 50 cm is more typical, and the maximum published weight is 10.5 kg. The overall colour is yellow, with a sheen of bronze or silvery, becoming silvery-white on the abdomen. There is a rusty spot at the centre of each scale creating the appearance of horizontal lines along the flanks. There is a sizeable black blotch below the front of the soft rayed part of the dorsal fin which is mostly above the lateral line, although this may be absent in adults.

Lutjanus johnii has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution. It occurs from the eastern African coast where it ranges from the southern Red Sea to South Africa, across the Indian Ocean into the Pacific as far as Fiji. It is found as far north as the Ryukyu Islands of southern Japan and south to northern Australia. It has a depth range of 0.1 to 80 m. The adult fish are thought to be inhabitants of coral reefs while the juveniles use the shelter of mangroves.

Lutjanus johnii is a predatory species which preys on fishes and benthic invertebrates such as crustaceans and cephalopods. Spawning has been observed during September in the Andaman Sea. It is more numerous over deep reefs than it is over reefs in shallower waters. In Australian waters L. johnii is one of the dominant, large snappers in the nearshore fish fauna of reefs. The large adults school in turbid waters around hard substrates in silty and sandy coastal and offshore areas.

Lutjanus johnii is frequently recorded in markets throughout its range and is caught using handlines, bottom longlines, traps and bottom trawls. The catch is sold fresh or dried salted. it is a popular game fish for recreational anglers in Australia.

Source: Wikipedia: Lutjanus johnii — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutjanus_johnii (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.