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Faizan
Snappers are one of the most popular variety of fish in the seafood industry. Not only are they caught via traditional fishing methods, but due to their increasing demand, they are also vigorously farmed. There are 17 commonly known varieties of snapper fish.
Did You Know?
The red snapper spawns more than 20 times in regular intervals of 5 to 6 days between the months of May and October each year.
Snappers belong to the Lutjanidae family of perciformes fish, and are of the genus Lutjanus. These saltwater fish are fished not only as a food source, but also as pets and as a form of sport. Most species grow at a very fast pace, and hence are unsuitable for being kept in an aquarium.
They are found abundantly in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. However, due to recent overfishing of this fish, the natural population is dwindling. In a bid to reinstate the population numbers, fisheries now release fixed quantities of farmed fish into the wild at regular intervals. Additionally, while fishing for snappers, the caught fish are kept only if they are of certain specific dimensions. If they do not meet those dimensions, they are released back into the wild.
Snappers dwell at depths of around 450 - 500 miles. These fish prefer tropical and sub-tropical climates, and are carnivorous in nature. They mostly feed on crustaceans and smaller fish, but have been observed to feed on plankton occasionally. They can grow to reach a length of up to 2 - 4 ft.
Almost 70 species of this fish have been recognized, but only 17 are popularly known and found commercially.
17 Popular Snapper Varieties and Identification Pointers
Schoolmaster Snapper (Lutjanus apodus):
Olive-grayish color
Reddish coloration near head
Elongated triangular snout
Yellowish vertical stripes on the body
Yellow-colored fins
Blue-interrupted stripe below the eye
Absence of lateral black spot
Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus):
Vivid red body color
Silver-white under belly
Long triangular snout
Pointed anal fin
Absence of lateral spot
Dark red eye
Yellowtail Snapper (Ocyurus chrysurus):
Bluish olive color and yellow spots on top
Pink and yellow longitudinal stripes
Prominent yellow stripe across the side from snout to tail
Bright yellow and forked tail
Absence of lateral spot
Mutton Snapper (Lutjanus analis):
Olive green color on top
Red-colored lower fins
Contoured blue line below the eye
Pointed anal fin
Tiny lateral dark spot below the dorsal fin
V-shaped tooth arrangement on the roof of mouth
Cubera Snapper (Lutjanus cyanopterus):
Body is dark brown with reddish hue
Broad triangular tooth arrangement on the roof of mouth
Slight blue tinge on the fins
Presence of protruding canine teeth on both jaws
Vermilion Snapper (Rhomboplites aurorubens):
Reddish body with whitish underbelly
Short, irregular, and diagonal blue lines on top
Absence of canine teeth
Appears as if looking upward
Absence of lateral dark spot
Twinspot Snapper (Lutjanus bohar):
Yellow-colored eye
Bluish green color on top
Gray-white-colored underbelly
Dark-colored fins
Presence of white spots in lateral linear formations on the body
Triangular snout
Absence of lateral dark spot
Appears as if frowning
Dog Snapper (Lutjanus jocu):
Brown body color with bronze accents
Sharp canine teeth, with one pair enlarged and protruding
Yellowish-orange tinge on the fins
Pale triangle along with a blue interrupted line below the eye
Absence of dark spot laterally and below the dorsal fin
Mangrove Snapper (Lutjanus griseus):
Also known as Gray Snapper
Dark brown gray body color
Red and orange spots in the form of vertical stripes
Two canine teeth on the upper jaw
Reddish tinge on the fins
Absence of lateral and dorsal dark spot
Emperor Red Snapper (Lutjanus sebae):
Dark red eye
Alternating thick stripes of white and dark red throughout body
Spiny fins
Slightly forked tail fin
Triangular snout
Absence of lateral and dorsal dark spot
Queen Snapper (Etelis oculatus):
Bright red color on top
Elongated body
Silver sides and underbelly
Notch on dorsal fin
Big and prominent eyes
Deep fork in the tail fin
Absence of lateral and dorsal spot
Silk Snapper (Lutjanus vivanus):
Body has shades of pink, orange, and red
Sides are silver and exhibit presence of yellow lines
Yellow pectoral fins
Pointed anal fin
Edge of tail fin is black
Absence of lateral and dorsal dark spot
Lane Snapper (Lutjanus synagris):
Pinkish red body color
Alternating longitudinal dashed lines of pink and yellow
Large, faded black spot present laterally
Blackish edge of the tail fin
Bluestripe Snapper (Lutjanus kasmira):
Bright yellow body color
4-5 bright blue, lateral longitudinal stripes
White-colored lower body and underbelly
Lateral lower part shows pale gray lines
Yellow fins
Absence of lateral and dorsal dark spot
Papuan Black Snapper (Lutjanus goldiei):
Greenish body color
Broad snout
Black fins
Dark spots and patches along the body
Presence of prominent scales
Blackfin Snapper (Lutjanus buccanella):
Red body color and yellow fins
Dark crescent shape at base of pectoral fins (blackfin)
Rounded fins
Absence of lateral and dorsal dark spot
Mahogany Snapper (Lutjanus mahogoni):
Grayish-green body color with a red tinge
Lateral diffuse dark spot
Eye and tail fin are bright red
pines along the fins are prominent
Each snapper is unique in its appearance. By observing the key characteristics of a variety, identification of the type of snapper can be possible.
Did You Know?
The red snapper spawns more than 20 times in regular intervals of 5 to 6 days between the months of May and October each year.
Snappers belong to the Lutjanidae family of perciformes fish, and are of the genus Lutjanus. These saltwater fish are fished not only as a food source, but also as pets and as a form of sport. Most species grow at a very fast pace, and hence are unsuitable for being kept in an aquarium.
They are found abundantly in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. However, due to recent overfishing of this fish, the natural population is dwindling. In a bid to reinstate the population numbers, fisheries now release fixed quantities of farmed fish into the wild at regular intervals. Additionally, while fishing for snappers, the caught fish are kept only if they are of certain specific dimensions. If they do not meet those dimensions, they are released back into the wild.
Snappers dwell at depths of around 450 - 500 miles. These fish prefer tropical and sub-tropical climates, and are carnivorous in nature. They mostly feed on crustaceans and smaller fish, but have been observed to feed on plankton occasionally. They can grow to reach a length of up to 2 - 4 ft.
Almost 70 species of this fish have been recognized, but only 17 are popularly known and found commercially.
17 Popular Snapper Varieties and Identification Pointers
Schoolmaster Snapper (Lutjanus apodus):
Olive-grayish color
Reddish coloration near head
Elongated triangular snout
Yellowish vertical stripes on the body
Yellow-colored fins
Blue-interrupted stripe below the eye
Absence of lateral black spot
Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus):
Vivid red body color
Silver-white under belly
Long triangular snout
Pointed anal fin
Absence of lateral spot
Dark red eye
Yellowtail Snapper (Ocyurus chrysurus):
Bluish olive color and yellow spots on top
Pink and yellow longitudinal stripes
Prominent yellow stripe across the side from snout to tail
Bright yellow and forked tail
Absence of lateral spot
Mutton Snapper (Lutjanus analis):
Olive green color on top
Red-colored lower fins
Contoured blue line below the eye
Pointed anal fin
Tiny lateral dark spot below the dorsal fin
V-shaped tooth arrangement on the roof of mouth
Cubera Snapper (Lutjanus cyanopterus):
Body is dark brown with reddish hue
Broad triangular tooth arrangement on the roof of mouth
Slight blue tinge on the fins
Presence of protruding canine teeth on both jaws
Vermilion Snapper (Rhomboplites aurorubens):
Reddish body with whitish underbelly
Short, irregular, and diagonal blue lines on top
Absence of canine teeth
Appears as if looking upward
Absence of lateral dark spot
Twinspot Snapper (Lutjanus bohar):
Yellow-colored eye
Bluish green color on top
Gray-white-colored underbelly
Dark-colored fins
Presence of white spots in lateral linear formations on the body
Triangular snout
Absence of lateral dark spot
Appears as if frowning
Dog Snapper (Lutjanus jocu):
Brown body color with bronze accents
Sharp canine teeth, with one pair enlarged and protruding
Yellowish-orange tinge on the fins
Pale triangle along with a blue interrupted line below the eye
Absence of dark spot laterally and below the dorsal fin
Mangrove Snapper (Lutjanus griseus):
Also known as Gray Snapper
Dark brown gray body color
Red and orange spots in the form of vertical stripes
Two canine teeth on the upper jaw
Reddish tinge on the fins
Absence of lateral and dorsal dark spot
Emperor Red Snapper (Lutjanus sebae):
Dark red eye
Alternating thick stripes of white and dark red throughout body
Spiny fins
Slightly forked tail fin
Triangular snout
Absence of lateral and dorsal dark spot
Queen Snapper (Etelis oculatus):
Bright red color on top
Elongated body
Silver sides and underbelly
Notch on dorsal fin
Big and prominent eyes
Deep fork in the tail fin
Absence of lateral and dorsal spot
Silk Snapper (Lutjanus vivanus):
Body has shades of pink, orange, and red
Sides are silver and exhibit presence of yellow lines
Yellow pectoral fins
Pointed anal fin
Edge of tail fin is black
Absence of lateral and dorsal dark spot
Lane Snapper (Lutjanus synagris):
Pinkish red body color
Alternating longitudinal dashed lines of pink and yellow
Large, faded black spot present laterally
Blackish edge of the tail fin
Bluestripe Snapper (Lutjanus kasmira):
Bright yellow body color
4-5 bright blue, lateral longitudinal stripes
White-colored lower body and underbelly
Lateral lower part shows pale gray lines
Yellow fins
Absence of lateral and dorsal dark spot
Papuan Black Snapper (Lutjanus goldiei):
Greenish body color
Broad snout
Black fins
Dark spots and patches along the body
Presence of prominent scales
Blackfin Snapper (Lutjanus buccanella):
Red body color and yellow fins
Dark crescent shape at base of pectoral fins (blackfin)
Rounded fins
Absence of lateral and dorsal dark spot
Mahogany Snapper (Lutjanus mahogoni):
Grayish-green body color with a red tinge
Lateral diffuse dark spot
Eye and tail fin are bright red
pines along the fins are prominent
Each snapper is unique in its appearance. By observing the key characteristics of a variety, identification of the type of snapper can be possible.
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