Lutjanus inermis
Golden Snapper
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
There are no photos available for this taxon yet.
Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Lutjanidae (Snappers)
Lutjanus
Lutjanus inermis (Golden Snapper)
Description
This species account was compiled from
FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version 04/2025.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
It may contain errors in spelling, punctuation, or formatting.
When citing, please reference the original source rather than this page.
Learn more about our species accounts.
Characters
Body shape: fusiform / normal. Snout very pointed. Mouth relatively small, the maxilla extending to front of eye. Eyes large, about 4 times in head length. Preopercular notch and knob weak. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Live coloration unknown. Striking features: none.
Distribution
Eastern Pacific: Mexico to Panama. Included in the genus Rabiruba Jordan & Fesler by some authors.
Habitat Associations
Marine. reef-associated. Found in: coral reefs.
Biology
Adults inhabit coastal rocky and coral reefs up to at least 40 m depth (Ref. 9313). During the day they form schools of 30 or more individuals, which sometimes remain stationary (Ref. 9313). Juveniles are seen associated with schools of Chromis atrilobata (Ref. 9313). Feed on invertebrates and fish and may also ingest plankton (Ref.9313). Marketed fresh and frozen (Ref. 9313).
Max length: 34.0 cm TL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2007-05-23. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: of potential interest; gamefish.
References
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.
Allen, G.R. (1995) Lutjanidae. Pargos. p. 1231-1244. In W. Fischer, F. Krupp, W. Schneider, C. Sommer, K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) Guia FAO para Identification de Especies para lo Fines de la Pesca. Pacifico Centro-Oriental. 3 Vols. FAO, Rome.
Comments On Lutjanus inermis