Blubberlip snapper (Lutjanus rivulatus)

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 rivulatus · Authority: (Cuvier, 1828) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 218494.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Diacope alboguttata Valenciennes, 1831; Diacope caeruleopunctata Cuvier, 1828; Diacope coeruleopunctata Cuvier, 1828; Diacope revulina Swainson, 1839; Diacope rivulata Cuvier, 1828; Diacope rivulina Swainson, 1839; Diacope sinal Montrouzier, 1857; Lutianus rivulatus (Cuvier, 1828); Lutjanus rivalatus (Cuvier, 1828); Lutjanus rivuturus (Cuvier, 1828); Lutjanus virulatus (Cuvier, 1828); Mesoprio myriaster Liénard, 1839; Mesoprion myriaster Liénard, 1839; Mesoprion parvidens MacLeay, 1882; Mesoprion quadripunctatus Günther, 1859.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=218494 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 85.5 cm · Common length: 60 cm · Depth range: 3–150 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 62.1 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.

FishBase notes: Occasionally encountered in coral reefs or shallow inshore flats (Ref. 30573). Found singly or in small groups (up to 15 to 20 individuals). Adults on deep coastal slopes; juveniles on shallow algae-reef flats, often near freshwater run-offs (Ref. 48635). Feed on fishes, cephalopods and benthic crustaceans (Ref. 30573). An excellent food fish. In Hong Kong live fish markets (Ref. 27253). Caught with handlines, traps, and gill nets, occasionally trawled; important to artisanal fisheries and marketed mostly fresh (Ref. 9821). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 57178.

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 173) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Lutjanus-rivulatus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

759 georeferenced occurrence records for Lutjanus rivulatus are published through GBIF from 40 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 206 distinct locations from a sample of 759 records, omitting 53 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 (139); Indonesia (111); Chinese Taipei (62); South Africa (57); Philippines (48); India (42); Seychelles (42); Mayotte (29); Fiji (27); Mozambique (21); Papua New Guinea (18); Japan (17); Solomon Islands (14); Madagascar (11); Malaysia (11).

Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Mozambican Exclusive Economic Zone; Tanzanian Exclusive Economic Zone; Madagascar; Mauritian Exclusive Economic Zone; Kenyan Exclusive Economic Zone; Somali Exclusive Economic Zone; Seychellois Exclusive Economic Zone; Réunion Exclusive Economic Zone; Comoran Exclusive Economic Zone; Chagos; Red Sea; South Africa (country); Djiboutian Exclusive Economic Zone; Eritrean Exclusive Economic Zone; Mtwapa; Ungama Bay.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2384813) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2384813&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=218494 (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 rivulatus (Cuvier, 1828) 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 194356) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/194356/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2384813) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2384813/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Lutjanus rivulatus was first formally described in 1828 as Diacope rivulata by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier with the type locality given as Puducherry in India, Java in Indonesia, the Red Sea and Malabar in India. The specific name rivulatus means "marked by irregular streaks" or "scribbled", a reference to the many wavy blue lines on the head.

Lutjanus rivulatus has a very deep body in which the standard length is only just over twice the depth of the body at its deepest. It has a steeply sloped forehead and the knob and incision in the preopercle are moderately developed. The vomerine teeth are arranged in a crescent-shaped patch with no rearwards extension and the smooth tongue lacks teeth. It has thickened lips. The dorsal fin contains 10 spines and 15-16 soft rays and the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays, the dorsal fin has a rounded rear profile while that of the anal fin is sharply pointed. The pectoral fins contain 17 rays and the caudal fin is either truncate or weakly emarginate. This species attains a maximum total length of 80 cm, although 60 cm is more typical, and the maximum published weight is 11 kg. This species has an overall colour of brown with reddish hue and contrasting vivid yellow outer dorsal, anal and caudal fins. There is a pattern of blue lines on the head and finer blue dashes and dots on the body with a blurred dark bar over the base of the pectoral-fin that becomes even less distinct as the fish grows. As well as this bar the juveniles have a white spot on the flanks. Juveniles are also marked with 3-8 dark, vertical bars.

Lutjanus rivulatus has a wide Indo-Pacific range. It occurs from the eastern African coast between the southern Red Sea and South Africa eastwards into the Pacific Ocean as far as Tahiti and the Austral Islands, north to Japan and south to Australia. In Australian waters this species is found from Port Hedland and the offshore reefs in Western Australia, the Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea and eastwards and southwards to northern New South Wales, it is also found in the Coral Sea and at Christmas Island. It is found at depths between 1.5 and 100 m and is associated with reefs, the adults being found on deep, coastal slopes and the juveniles on flats with algal growths, frequently close to freshwater discharges.

Lutjanus rivulatus may be found as solitary individuals or in small aggregations of 15-20 fishes. Like other snappers this species is predatory, feeding on fishes, cephalopods and benthic crustaceans. sexual maturity is normally attained when the fish are around 50 cm in length, although sexually mature individuals have been measured at 37 cm. They do form aggregations for spawning. This is a wary fish despite its large size.

Lutjanus rivulatus is considered to be an excellent fish for eating, although the consumption of its flesh has been linked to cases of ciguatera. It is an important species for artisanal fisheries throughout its range and is caught using handlines, traps and gillnets, it is infrequently trawled. It is also found in the Hong Kong live fish trade and is grown b in aquaculture in southeastern Asia.

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