Lutjanus analis

Behavior:

Mutton snapper can be identified by the small black spot located on their upper back. Many individuals also have one or two blue stripes that run across the cheek and around the eye. Mutton snapper sometime feed at night, but mostly during the day, on a mix of fish, crustaceans and gastropods. Juveniles are often found in mangrove and seagrass ecosystems.

Predators:

Moray eels, sharks, large grouper and barracuda.

Did you know?

Mutton snapper are popular fish with anglers and spearfishers and though size and bag limits exist, the species is still listed as “near threatened” by the IUCN Red List. One of the reasons for their decline has been that they form spawning aggregations that are predictable in both location and time. When targeted by fishers, many large individuals can easiest be removed from the population.