Species: Lutjanus cyanopterus, Cubera Snapper

Lutjanus cyanopterus (Cuvier, 1828)

Cubera Snapper

Body relatively slender, compressed; front and rear nostrils simple holes; mouth relatively large, top jaw moderately protrusible, slips under cheek bone for most of its length when mouth is closed; one or more rows of pointed conical teeth on jaws, very strong canines at front of top and bottom jaws; a triangular or crescent shaped patch of teeth without a rear extension on center of roof of mouth; sides of roof of mouth with 1 pair of tooth patches; 11-14 lower gill rakers; preopercle serrated, lower margin weakly notched; dorsal continuous, often with slight notch behind spiny part, usually X, 14; anal III, 8 (7-8), fin tip rounded; tail edge slightly concave; body, cheek and operculum scaly; snout, below eye and both jaws scale-less; lateral line scales 45-47; cheek with 9 (8-10) rows of scales; membranes of soft dorsal and anal fins scaly.

Back and upper sides grey, with reddish tinges, particularly at front; often 8-9 pale bars on upper half of body; dorsal and tail fins grey, anal and pelvics reddish. Juvenile: more prominently barred than adult.

Reaches 160 cm; 57 kg.

Juveniles inshore, around mangrove; adults in mangroves, reefs and rocky bottoms.

Depth range: 1-128 m, adults usually in < 40 m.

Nova Scotia to SE Brazil.