Lutjanus griseus
Gray Snapper
NS
G5
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Lutjanidae (Snappers)
Lutjanus
Lutjanus griseus (Gray 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
Anal fin rounded; black margin along spinous section of dorsal fin; snout relatively long and acute; interorbital space slightly convex; maxilla extends to anterior margin of pupil; outer row of enlarged teeth in jaws with four canines in upper jaw and inner narrow band of villiform teeth; vomerine tooth patch V-shaped or crescentic with posteromedial extension; tongue with oval patch of small teeth; preoperculum with serrated posterior margin and enlarged serrae at corner; gill rakers on first arch 6-8 on upper limb and 12-14 on lower limb; head length 36%-40% SL; snout length 13%-14% SL; eye diameter 8%-10% SL; upper jaw length 14%-15% SL; pectoral fin length 24%-27% SL; body depth 31%-38% SL; pectoral fin with 15-17 rays; dorsal fin slightly notched with 10 spines and 13 or 14 (usually 14) rays; anal fin with 7 or 8 (usually 8) rays; caudal fin emarginate; scales in horizontal series 50 or 51; tubed lateral line scales 43-47; scale rows on back parallel to lateral line; scales cover proximal parts of membranes of rayed sections of dorsal and anal fins
Gray, greenish gray, or dark olive, occasionally with reddish tinge on dorsal half of body and grayish with reddish tinge on remainder of body; fins grayish or reddish; spinous section of dorsal fin with black margin; juveniles with broad, oblique dark stripe from snout tip through eye to base of spinous dorsal fin, often with blue line on cheek and pale bars on side
Distribution
Atlantic Ocean from Massachusetts and Bermuda to southeastern Brazil, including Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, and Greater and Lesser Antilles
Found throughout coastal waters in the Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
Variety of habitats including coral reefs, rocky substrates, estuaries, and mangrove regions; from shoreline to 180 m depth
Associated with coral reefs, rocky substrates, estuaries, and mangrove regions
Biology
Gastropods, cephalopods, shrimps, crabs, and ray-finned fishes; feeding generally takes place at night
Maximum known size is 920 mm SL; maximum known age is 24 years
Spawning occurs from May to September around times of the full moon; maturity reached at about 180-330 mm SL
Adults inhabit coastal as well as offshore waters around coral reefs, rocky areas, estuaries, mangrove areas, and sometimes in lower reaches of rivers (especially the young). They are found in fresh water in Florida (Ref. 26938). Often forming large aggregations. Feed mainly at night on small fishes, shrimps, crabs, gastropods, cephalopods and some planktonic items. Easily approached (Ref. 9710). Good food fish (Ref. 9626). Utilized fresh and frozen; eaten pan-fried, broiled, microwaved, and baked (Ref. 9987). Has been reared in captivity (Ref. 35420).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2015-10-10. Resilience: Medium (K=0.10; tm=2-3; tmax=21).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish; aquarium: commercial.
References
Longley and Hildebrand 1941
Anderson 1967
Anderson 2002c
Böhlke and Chaplin 1968
Randall 1968a
Randall 1996
Smith et al. 1975
Hastings et al. 1976
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Allen 1985
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Cervigón 1993b
Schaldach et al. 1997
Smith 1997
Castro-Aguirre et al. 1999
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
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.
Randall, J.E. (1996) Caribbean reef fishes. Third Edition - revised and enlarged. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd., Hong Kong. 3nd ed. 368 p.
Sierra, L.M., R. Claro and O.A. Popova (1994) Alimentacion y relaciones tróficas. p. 263-284. In Rodolfo Claro (ed.) Ecología de los Peces Marinos de Cuba. Instituto de Oceanología Academia de Ciencias de Cuba and Centro de Investigaciones de Quintana Roo, Mexico.
Lindeman, K., W. Anderson, K.E. Carpenter, R. Claro, J. Cowan, B. Padovani-Ferreira, L.A. Rocha, G. Sedberry and M. Zapp-Sluis (2016) Lutjanus griseus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T192941A2180367. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T192941A2180367.en. Downloaded on 20 January 2017.
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