SCHOOLMASTER – Lutjanus apodus
Family Lutjanidae, SNAPPERS Descriptions: color olive gray on upper sides with yellow tinge, sometimes with reddish tinge around head; long triangular snout; eight pale vertical bars on the side of the body; yellow fins; blue stripe below eye, becoming interrupted in adults; no dark lateral spot. Similar fish: dog snapper, L. jocu; other snappers. Where […]
RED SNAPPER – Lutjanus campechanus
Family Lutjanidae, SNAPPERS Descriptions: color pinkish red over entire body, whitish below; long triangular snout; anal fin sharply pointed; no dark lateral spot; red eye. Similar fish: silk snapper, L. vivanus. Where found: OFFSHORE on the continental shelf, more plentiful off the Panhandle than in south or middle Florida. Size: to 20 pounds Remarks: juveniles […]
QUEEN SNAPPER – Etelis oculatus
Family Lutjanidae, SNAPPERS Descriptions: color of back and upper sides red, lower sides; silvery body long and slender; dorsal fin distinctly notched; large eyes; caudal fin deeply forked; no dark lateral spot. Similar fish: other snappers. Where found: OFFSHORE over rocky reefs of the continental shelf to 450 feet; young suspend at mid-depths. Size: small […]
MUTTON SNAPPER – Lutjanus analis
Family Lutjanidae, SNAPPERS Descriptions: color olive green on back and upper sides, all fins below the lateral line having reddish tinge; bright blue line below eye, following contour of operculum; anal fin pointed; small black spot below dorsal fin; V-shaped tooth patch on roof of mouth. Similar fish: lane snapper, L. synagris (anal fin pointed […]
MAHOGANY SNAPPER – Lutjanus mahogoni
Family Lutjanidae, SNAPPERS Descriptions: color grayish-olive with a reddish tinge; conspicuous dark spot, about the size of the eye, below the soft dorsal fin, 1/4 to 1/2 of it below the lateral line; the large eye and caudal fin are bright red; lower margin of the preopercle has prominent spur with strong and sharp serrations. […]
LANE SNAPPER – Lutjanus synagris
Family Lutjanidae, SNAPPERS Descriptions: color silvery-pink to reddish with short, irregular pink and yellow lines on its sides; diffuse black spot, about as large as the eye; the dorsal fin centered above the lateral line; outer margin of caudal fin blackish. Similar fish: mutton snapper, L. analis (anal fin rounded in lane snapper, pointed in […]
GRAY SNAPPER (mangrove snapper) – Lutjanus griseus
Family Lutjanidae, SNAPPERS Descriptions: color dark brown or gray with reddish or orange spots in rows along the sides; dark horizontal band from snout through eye (young only); two conspicuous canine teeth at front of upper jaw; dorsal fins have dark or reddish borders; no spot on side underneath dorsal fin. Similar fish: cubera snapper, […]
DOG SNAPPER – Lutjanus jocu
Family Lutjanidae, SNAPPERS Description: color brown with a bronze tinge, lighter on sides; canine teeth very sharp, one pair notably enlarged, visible even when mouth is closed; in adults, pale triangle and a light blue interrupted line below the eye; no dark spot on body underneath dorsal fin. Similar fish: schoolmaster, L. apodus (no white […]
CUBERA SNAPPER – Lutjanus cyanopterus
Family Lutjanidae, SNAPPERS Description: color dark brown or gray, may have a reddish tinge; broad-based triangular tooth patch on roof of mouth without a posterior extension; despite its specific name, which translates to “blue-fin,” the fins have only a slight tinge of blue; canine teeth in both jaws very strong; one pair of canines enlarged […]
BLACKFIN SNAPPER – Lutjanus buccanella
Family Lutjanidae, SNAPPERS Description: color generally red, with yellowish caudal, anal, and pelvic fins; distinctive and prominent dark comma-shaped blotch at the base of the pectoral fins, which gives the fish its common name; anal fin rounded; no black spot on side underneath dorsal fin. Similar fish: other snappers. Where found: adults OFFSHORE near continental […]