Animal Species:Blacktail Snapper, Lutjanus fulvus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

The Blacktail Snapper occurs in tropical marine waters, inhabiting inshore coral reefs and lagoons. It prefers areas with deep holes and rocks. At night it feeds on benthic crustaceans and fishes such as mullets, goatfishes and damselfishes.

Blacktail Snapper, Lutjanus fulvus

Blacktail Snapper, Lutjanus fulvus
William White © William White

Alternative Name/s

Yellow-margined Seaperch.

Identification

The Blacktail Snapper has a white-yellow body and a black caudal fin. The front of the dorsal fin is yellow and the soft portion is black. The pectoral, pelvic and anal fins are yellow.

Size range

The species grows to 40 cm in length.

Distribution

It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-West Pacific, from the Red Sea, north to Japan, south to Australia and east to the Tuamoto Islands. It has been introduced in the Hawaiian Islands.

In Australia it is known from the north-western coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country and south to southern New South Wales.

Distribution by collection data

Biomaps map of Blacktail Snapper specimens in the Australian Museum collection.

What does this mean?

Habitat

The Blacktail Snapper inhabits inshore coral reefs and lagoons. It may also enter mangrove areas and the lower reaches of rivers. It prefers areas with deep holes and rocks. It occurs at depths from 1 m to about 75 m.

Feeding and Diet

The Blacktail Snapper feeds at night on benthic crustaceans and fishes such as mullets, goatfishes and damselfishes.

Classification

Species:
fulvus
Genus:
Lutjanus
Family:
Lutjanidae
Order:
Perciformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Allen, G.R. & Talbot, F.H. 1985. Review of the snappers of the genus Lutjanus (Pisces: Lutjanidae) from the Indo-Pacific, with the description of a new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes 11: 1-87.
  2. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 220.
  3. Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 330.
  4. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 251.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags fish, ichthyology, Blacktail Snapper, Lutjanus fulvus, Lutjanidae,