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Blear-eyed snapper (Etelis oculatus) — Lutjanidae

Blear-eyed snapper

Etelis oculatus
Family: Lutjanidae
DD · Data Deficient

The Blear-eyed snapper (Etelis oculatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Lutjanidae that grows up to 100 cm.

Length
100 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
100.0–450.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The queen snapper is a large deep-water snapper (Lutjanidae) from the western Atlantic. The species reaches about 100 cm and has a slender, red body with very large eyes, adapted to the dim deep water, and a deeply forked tail with long points. Adults inhabit rocky bottoms at depths of about 100 to 450 m and are abundant near oceanic islands. They prey mainly on small fishes and squid. The species is a valued food fish with good-quality flesh and is marketed mostly fresh, sometimes frozen; the IUCN assesses it as data deficient (DD).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Blear-eyed snapper?

The Blear-eyed snapper has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly red-orange and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Blear-eyed snapper live?

The Blear-eyed snapper lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Blear-eyed snapper get?

The Blear-eyed snapper grows to a maximum of about 100 cm. On average the species is around 64 cm.

Is the Blear-eyed snapper dangerous to humans?

No, the Blear-eyed snapper is harmless to humans.

Is the Blear-eyed snapper edible?

Yes, the Blear-eyed snapper is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Koningssnapper sourced
English name
Blear-eyed snapper verified
Scientific name
Etelis oculatus
Family
Lutjanidae
Other names
Blear-eyed snapper; Bream verified

Appearance

Size class
Extra large verified
Max length (cm)
100.0 verified
Average length (cm)
64.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
100.0 verified
Max depth (m)
450.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Diepzeevissen met handlijn of beuglijn boven rotsbodems. sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Etelis

More from the family Lutjanidae

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