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Blackspot snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergii) — Lutjanidae

Blackspot snapper

Lutjanus ehrenbergii
Family: Lutjanidae
LC · Least Concern

The Blackspot snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergii) is a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water of the family Lutjanidae that grows up to 35 cm.

Length
35 cm
Water
Euryhaline
Depth
5.0–20.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Indo-West Pacific
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The blackspot snapper is a small snapper from the Indo-West Pacific, including the Red Sea. The species grows to about 35 cm and has a silver-yellow body with fine yellow longitudinal lines and a conspicuous black spot on the lateral line below the dorsal fin. As a reef-dweller it schools around reefs, mangroves and estuaries and hunts small fish and crustaceans. It is a local food fish. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Blackspot snapper?

The Blackspot snapper has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a horizontal stripes pattern. Black blotch on the lateral line; schooling reef and mangrove snapper

Where does the Blackspot snapper live?

The Blackspot snapper lives in both fresh and salt water and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Indo-West Pacific

How big does the Blackspot snapper get?

The Blackspot snapper grows to a maximum of about 35 cm. On average the species is around 20 cm.

Is the Blackspot snapper dangerous to humans?

No, the Blackspot snapper is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Blackspot snapper edible?

Yes, the Blackspot snapper is commonly eaten.

More photos

Blackspot snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergii) — Lutjanidae — 2
Wikimedia Commons — Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa (CC BY 2.0)
Blackspot snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergii) — Lutjanidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Nikolai Vladimirov, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Blackspot snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergii) — Lutjanidae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — Hatem Moushir (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Blackspot snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergii) — Lutjanidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Kent Ross, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
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All data

Identification

English name
Blackspot snapper verified
Scientific name
Lutjanus ehrenbergii
Family
Lutjanidae
Other names
Blackspot snapper; Ehrenberg's snapper; Ehrenberg's seaperch; Black-spot snapper; Ehrenbergs' seaperch; Snapper verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
35.0 verified
Average length (cm)
20.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Pattern
Horizontal stripes sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Euryhaline sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
5.0 verified
Max depth (m)
20.0 verified
Natural range
Indo-West Pacific verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small fishes and crustaceans inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Schooling reef snapper; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Black blotch on the lateral line; schooling reef and mangrove snapper sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Handlines sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Lutjanus

More from the family Lutjanidae

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