Scientific Name
Lutjanus campechanus

Common Name
Northern red snapper

Biology
Adults are found over rocky bottoms. Juveniles inhabit shallow waters, common over sand or muddy bottoms. Feed mainly on fishes, shrimps, crabs, worms, cephalopods, and some planktonic items including urochordates and gastropods. Marketed fresh and eaten steamed, broiled and baked (Ref. 9988). Heavily exploited in American waters where it is now closely protected; shrimp fishing, accused of destroying young snappers, is currently restricted.

Classification

Classified By

Poey, 1860

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Snappers (Lutjanidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Atlantic

Distribution

Western Atlantic: Gulf of Mexico and eastern coast of the USA extending northward to Massachusetts, coasts of Florida (Ref. 26938), but rare north of the Carolinas. Throughout Gulf of Mexico (Ref. 26938). This species has been referred to as Lutjanus aya by previous authors, but Rivas (Ref. 6409) proved that Bodianus aya Bloch, 1790 is not a lutjanid, but probably a sciaenid.

Range

43°N - 4°S, 100°W - 40°W

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

10 m

Depth To - meters

190 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 10 - 190 m (Ref. 55), usually 30 - 130 m (Ref. 55)

Trophic Level

4.01 s.e. 0.59 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

100.0 cm

Common Length

60.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

High vulnerability (55 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.12-0.2; tmax=16; Fec > 1 million)

Threat To Humans

Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30303)

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated