Lutjanus cyanopterus
| Ecological Descriptors |
||||
| Habitat | Size | Diet | Behaviour | Sex |
| R (Co) | to 1.6m | Pisc (Cru) | I (Sh) | F |
Description:
Thick lips, but often no other distinguishing features, other than larger max size than similar spp, hence often a process of elimination. From silver-grey to dark brown and can rapidly darken. Rounded anal fin. Can be easilyconfused with large Grey Snapper (L. griseus), but has stouter head, and lacks eye band sometimes seen on Grey Snapper, or the teardrop stripe below eye seen on Dog Snapper (L. jocu)
Ecology
The largest Snapper species in Antigua. Primarily a reef- and hardbottom-associated species as an adult , but associates with shallow vegetation during early life stages . Adults can be found on the fore slope of deep reefs. Adults are observed at depth ranges of 18-55 m and deeper, sometimes in association with artificial structure. This species mainly feeds on ray-finned fishes and less frequently on shrimp and crabs.
The maximum length observed is 160 cm TL, though there are anecdotal reports of 200 cm catches.
Life Cycle:
This species forms spawning aggregations. It may live up to a maximum of 30 years in some areas of the Tropical Western Atlantic. Minimum size of maturation variously reported as 2.3 years and 4.6 years. Calculated generation length 11 to 13 years, with a three generation length range of 33-39 years.
Thick lips, but often no other distinguishing features, other than larger max size than similar spp, hence often a process of elimination. From silver-grey to dark brown and can rapidly darken. Rounded anal fin. Can be easilyconfused with large Grey Snapper (L. griseus), but has stouter head, and lacks eye band sometimes seen on Grey Snapper, or the teardrop stripe below eye seen on Dog Snapper (L. jocu)
Ecology
The largest Snapper species in Antigua. Primarily a reef- and hardbottom-associated species as an adult , but associates with shallow vegetation during early life stages . Adults can be found on the fore slope of deep reefs. Adults are observed at depth ranges of 18-55 m and deeper, sometimes in association with artificial structure. This species mainly feeds on ray-finned fishes and less frequently on shrimp and crabs.
The maximum length observed is 160 cm TL, though there are anecdotal reports of 200 cm catches.
Life Cycle:
This species forms spawning aggregations. It may live up to a maximum of 30 years in some areas of the Tropical Western Atlantic. Minimum size of maturation variously reported as 2.3 years and 4.6 years. Calculated generation length 11 to 13 years, with a three generation length range of 33-39 years.
Cubera Snapper
Cubera Snapper
486
(C) Kevin Bryant