Animal Species:Snapper, Pagrus auratus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Alternative Name/s

Cockney, Cockney Bream, Nobbler, Old Man, Pink Snapper, Pinkie, Pinky, Queen, Red Bream, Rugger, Schnapper, Tamure, White Snapper

Identification

Snapper are usually pinkish to brown on the upper sides and silvery below. The body is covered by small blue spots that are most obvious in small fish.

Size range

It grows to 1.3 m in length and at least 20 kg in weight.

Distribution

Snapper occur in Australia and New Zealand. In Australia the species is known from marine waters around the southern half of the country from southern Queensland to the central coast of Western Australia.

Distribution by collection data

Biomaps map of Snapper specimens in the Australian Museum collection.

What does this mean?

Habitat

Larval Snapper occur in open water over the continental shelf and then enter bays and estuaries as juveniles of about 1 cm in length. Adults are found on deeper offshore reefs.

Life cycle

Young fish are known as Squires and old fish are called Old Man Snappers. Old fish develop a prominent hump on the top of the head (see x-ray image). The hump develops in both sexes but is more prominent in males. The enlargement of areas of fish bones such as this is known as hyperostosis.

Economic/social impacts

The Snapper is one of the most popular food fishes in Australia.

Snapper aquaculture has become an important industry in recent years.  At Pisces Marine Aquaculture, fish are reared in a 10 m deep, nylon-netted enclosure offshore near Port Stephens, New South Wales. Farmed fish are exposed to more sunlight than wild fish and have a darker colouration. Shading of the enclosure for a time prior to harvesting is being investigated in an attempt to lighten the colour of the fish.

Classification

Species:

auratus

Genus:

Pagrus

Family:

Sparidae

Order:

Perciformes

Class:

Actinopterygii

Subphylum:

Vertebrata

Phylum:

Chordata

Kingdom:

Animalia

What does this mean?

References

Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544. (as Chrysophrys auratus)
Gomon, M.F., Bray, D. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 2008. The Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Reed New Holland. Pp. 928. (as Chrysophrys auratus)
Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437. (as Chrysophrys auratus)
Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 251.
Yearsley, G.K., Last, P.R. & R.D. Ward. 1999. Australian Seafood Handbook, an identification guide to domestic species. CSIRO Marine Research. Pp. 461.

Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated: 1 October 2009

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Snapper, Pagrus auratus,