Lutjanus buccanella
Blackfin Snapper
Collection Details
Specimens
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Lutjanidae (Snappers)
Lutjanus
Lutjanus buccanella (Blackfin Snapper)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Relatively large canine teeth in upper jaw; black blotch at base of pectoral fin; interorbital space slightly convex; maxilla extends nearly to anterior margin of pupil; jaws with outer row of enlarged teeth and inner band of villiform teeth, four canines in upper jaw; vomerine teeth in V-shaped or crescentic patch with posteromedial extension; preoperculum with serrated posterior and ventral margins; gill rakers on first arch 7-9 on upper limb and 17-19 on lower limb; head length 37%-42% SL; eye diameter 8%-12% SL; snout length 14%-15% SL; lower jaw length 15%-16% SL; pectoral fin length 31%-33% SL; pelvic fin length 22%-24% SL; body depth 34%-40% SL; pectoral fin with 16-18 rays; dorsal fin shallowly notched with 10 spines and 14 rays; anal fin rounded with 8 rays; caudal fin emarginate to moderately forked; scales in horizontal series 62-68; tubed lateral line scales 47-50; scale rows on back rise obliquely above lateral line; scales cover proximal parts of membranes of rayed sections of dorsal and anal fins
Scarlet red on dorsal half of body and silvery on remainder of body; black spot at base and on axil of pectoral fin; dark area along base of dorsal fin; iris yellow to orange; fins yellowish to orange; juveniles yellow to greenish yellow along upper part of caudal peduncle, on rayed sections of dorsal and anal fins, and over entire caudal fin
Distribution
Western Atlantic from Massachusetts and Bermuda to southeastern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Greater and Lesser Antilles
Habitat Associations
Between 80 and 230 m; adults associated with sandy and rocky bottoms, drop-offs, and ledges
Juveniles occur between 35 and 50 m
Biology
Cephalopods, crustaceans, tunicates, and ray-finned fishes
660 mm SL
Spawning occurs over most of the year but most actively in April and September
Adults inhabit deeper waters over sandy or rocky bottoms and near drop-offs and ledges. Young occur in shallower water, often between about 35 and 50 m. Feed mainly on fishes. Good food fish, it is marketed mostly fresh (Ref. 55).
IUCN Red List Status: Data Deficient (DD), assessed 2015-10-10. Resilience: Medium (K=0.10-0.70).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish.
References
Böhlke and Chaplin 1968
Allen 1985
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Cervigón 1993b
Randall 1996
Schaldach et al. 1997
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Anderson 2002c
Allen, G.R. (1985) FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 6. Snappers of the world. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of lutjanid species known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(6):208 p. Rome: FAO.
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Cervigón, F. (1993) Los peces marinos de Venezuela. Volume 2. Fundación Científica Los Roques, Caracas,Venezuela. 497 p.
Lieske, E. and R. Myers (1994) Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Haper Collins Publishers, 400 p.
Randall, J.E. (1996) Caribbean reef fishes. Third Edition - revised and enlarged. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd., Hong Kong. 3nd ed. 368 p.
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