Bigeye Snapper

The bigeye snapper (Lutjanus lutjanus), also recognized as the bigeye seaperch, undefined lined snapper, golden striped snapper, rosy snapper, yellow snapper, or simply snapper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Lutjanidae. This species is indigenous to the 🌊 Indian Ocean and the western 🌊 Pacific Ocean, serving as the type species of the genus Lutjanus.

The initial formal description of the bigeye snapper was made in 1790 by German physician and zoologist Marcus Elieser Bloch. While the type locality was identified as 🇯🇵 Japan, this attribution is believed to be inaccurate, with 🇮🇩 Indonesia considered the correct locality. Bloch established the genus Lutjanus with this species, which remains the type species for the genus by tautonymy. The genus name, Lutjanus, is derived from the local 🇮🇩 Indonesian term for snappers, "ikan Lutjang."

The bigeye snapper exhibits a fusiform, slender morphology, featuring a standard length approximately 2.9 to 3.3 times its maximum body depth. The species has a gently sloping forehead, with the preopercular incision and knob being underdeveloped. The vomerine teeth are organized in a triangular patch with a central rearward projection, and the tongue is equipped with grain-like teeth. The dorsal fin comprises 10-12 spines and 12 soft rays, whereas the anal fin includes 3 spines and 8 soft rays. Both the dorsal and anal fins have an angular profile, the pectoral fins consist of 16-17 rays, and the caudal fin is either truncate or weakly emarginate. This fish can attain a maximum total length of 35 cm (14 in) and reach an age of 11 years. Its coloration includes a golden-brown upper back with silvery-white flanks and a brown to yellow stripe extending from the snout to the dorsal caudal peduncle. Oblique golden lines appear above the lateral line, with horizontal stripes below it. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins exhibit a vivid yellow coloration.

The bigeye snapper has a comprehensive Indo-West Pacific distribution, occurring from the 🌊 Red Sea and the eastern African coast and extending south to 🇿🇦 South Africa and 🇲🇬 Madagascar. Its range continues eastward along the southern Asian coast, encompassing the 🇸🇨 Seychelles, and reaches the Pacific, where sightings have been reported in 🇹🇴 Tonga and Wallis Island. Its distribution extends north to 🇯🇵 Japan and south to 🇦🇺 Australia, with records in 🇦🇺 Australian waters from northwestern Western Australia around the tropical northern coast to northern Queensland. This species inhabits coral reefs and inshore waters with soft substrates, at depths ranging from 1 to 96 meters (3 ft 3 in to 315 ft 0 in).

Bigeye snappers are frequently observed in large aggregations, often alongside other congeners. As a predatory species, they primarily feed on fish and crustaceans. Spawning has been recorded in the 🌊 Gulf of Aden in March, off eastern Africa in November, and between January and June in the Gulf of Suez.

This species is harvested using handlines and bottom trawls in various parts of its range and is also captured as a bycatch in shrimp fisheries. The catch is predominantly sold fresh and is a common presence in fish markets. Between 1979 and 1982, 2,286 tonnes were reported to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as being caught in the Gulf of Suez, representing 10-20% of the annual snapper landings in that area. Despite this, the species remains locally abundant and maintains stable populations, leading to its classification as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).