Dog snapper
| Dog snapper | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Lutjanidae |
| Genus: | Lutjanus |
| Species: | L. jocu |
| Binomial name | |
| Lutjanus jocu (Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The dog snapper, Lutjanus jocu, is a species of snapper native to the Atlantic Ocean. It is a commercially important species, and is popular for display in public aquaria. It is also known as the dogtooth snapper, pargue, or snuggletooth snapper.[1]
Description
Its color is typically brown with a bronze tinge, lighter on the sides. In adults, a pale triangle and a light-blue, interrupted line are found just below the eye. This species can reach a length of 128 cm (50 in), though most do not exceed 60 cm (24 in). The greatest known weight for this species is 28.6 kg (63 lb).[1]
Distribution
Dog snapper are found from Massachusetts to Brazil in the western Atlantic, including the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico and from Saint Paul's Rocks south to Principe in the eastern Atlantic.[1]
Habitat and behavior
Adults are generally found around rocky outcrops or coral reefs, while juveniles tend to remain primarily within estuaries and occasionally within rivers.[1] Solitary and wary of others, they prefer secluded areas. They are primarily nocturnal feeders, preying upon small fish, crustaceans, and mollusks. This species spawns from spring to fall in the waters around Jamaica and the northeast Caribbean.