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Size
30 inches (76 cm) -
Diet
Small fishes, shrimp, crabs, gastropods and some planktonic items -
Range
Western Atlantic ocean -
Habitat
Subtropical areas in marine, estuarine and fresh water
Physical Characteristics
- Can reach 30 inches (76 cm) in total length. The largest individual caught weighed about 18 lbs. (8.2 kg). However, it rarely exceeds 8 lbs. (3.6 kg).
- Juveniles have a dark stripe from the snout through the eye to the upper operculum and a blue stripe on the cheek below the eye.
- Variable in color from gray to coppery to reddish, often with a dark stripe through the eye.
Animal Fact
The grey snapper, also known as the mangrove snapper, is considered a desirable food fish, and is a popular game fish species in Florida.
Diet / Feeding
- Feeds at night on small fishes, shrimp, crabs, gastropods and some planktonic items.
Range / Habitat
- Occurs in the Western Atlantic from Massachusetts to Bermuda, southward to Brazil, including the West Indies, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.
- Primarily found in subtropical areas in marine, estuarine and fresh water at depths ranging from about 16 to 590 feet (5-180 m). Juveniles are usually seen closer to shore than adults.
- Inhabits coastal as well as offshore waters around coral reefs, rocky areas, estuaries, mangrove areas and, sometimes, in the lower reaches of rivers (especially the young).
- Juvenile usually associates with Thalassia seagrass beds, mangrove roots, jetties and pilings.
Reproduction & Growth
- Forms large aggregations when spawning.
- Spawning occurs in open water from June to October. Individuals may spawn more than once per season. The pelagic eggs hatch in about 20 hours.
Conservation Status
- “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List.
Additional Information
- Considered a good food fish and is exploited commercially and as a game fish, especially in Florida, where it is often called a “mangrove snapper.”
Sources
- www.fishbase.org
- www.natureserve.org
- Peterson Field Guides – Atlantic Coast Fishes. Robins, C.R. and Ray, G. C., pg. 172
- Coral Reef Fishes. Lieske, E. and Myers, R., pg.156
