Lutjanus vivanus
Silk Snapper
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Lutjanidae (Snappers)
Lutjanus
Lutjanus vivanus (Silk 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
Interorbital space is slightly convex. Maxilla extends to anterior margin of pupil. Jaws have a row of enlarged teeth, including four canines in upper jaw, two of which are about half of pupil length, and an inner band of villiform teeth. Vomerine tooth patch is V-shaped or crescentic, with a posteromedial extension. Tongue has oval patch of small teeth. Preoperculum is serrated along posterior and ventral margins, with serrae coarser at angle and on ventral margin than on posterior margin. Gill rakers on first arch number 6 to 9 on upper limb and 16 or 17 on lower limb. Measurements are expressed as percent of SL: head length 33%–38%, eye diameter 6%–10%, snout length 13%–14%, upper jaw length 13%–14%, pectoral fin length 31%–33%, pelvic fin length 22%–25%, body depth 34%–37%. Pectoral fin has 16 to 18 rays. Dorsal fin has a shallow notch between spinous and rayed sections and has 10 spines and 13 or 14 (usually 14) rays. Anal fin is pointed, with middle rays equal to or longer than half of head length in specimens longer than 60 mm SL, and has 7 or 8 (usually 8) rays. Caudal fin is lunate to forked. Scales in horizontal series number 50 to 53, and tubed lateral line scales number 47 to 50. Scale rows on back rise obliquely above lateral line. Cheek scales number 7 or 8. Scales from dorsal fin origin to lateral line number 10 to 12, and scales from anal fin origin to lateral line number 20 to 24. Bases of rayed sections of dorsal fin and anal fin are covered with scales.
Color is pink to red on dorsal half of body and pinkish with a silvery sheen on remainder of body. Fine undulating yellow lines occur on flank. Iris of eye is bright yellow. Fins are reddish or pale yellow, and posterior margin of caudal fin is often deep red or dusky. Young specimens (≤250 mm SL) have a blackish spot on upper flank below anterior section of dorsal fin rays.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from North Carolina and Bermuda to northern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Greater and Lesser Antilles.
Common throughout the Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
Depths of capture generally range from 90 to 140 m, but it is occasionally captured at depths greater than 200 m. Associated with sandy, gravelly, and coralline bottoms.
Sandy, gravelly, and coralline bottoms
Biology
Food consists of gastropods, cephalopods, shrimps, crabs, tunicates, and ray-finned fishes.
Maximum known size is 840 mm TL
Adults are common near the edge of the continental and island shelves; also found in deeper waters (below 200 m); usually ascending to shallow water at night. They feed mainly on fishes, shrimps, crabs, gastropods, cephalopods, tunicates and some pelagic items including urochordates. Marketed fresh. Said to be a good food fish (Ref. 5521).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Spawning occurs over most of the year in lower latitudes, but is seasonal (spring and summer) toward the northern and southern limits of the distribution.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2015-10-10. Resilience: Low (K=0.09-0.32; tm=5).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish.
References
Ginsburg 1930
Longley and Hildebrand 1941
Rivas 1966
Anderson 1967
Anderson 2002c
Böhlke and Chaplin 1968
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Allen 1985
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Cervigón 1993b
Schaldach et al. 1997
Smith 1997
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.
IGFA (2001) Database of IGFA angling records until 2001. IGFA, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Gómez-Canchong, P., L. Manjarrés M., L.O. Duarte and J. Altamar (2004) Atlas pesquero del area norte del Mar Caribe de Colombia. Universidad del Magadalena, Santa Marta. 230 p.
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