Scientific Name
Lutjanus dentatus

Common Name
African brown snapper

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Head slightly rounded, its dorsal profile curving gently. Preorbital bone broad. Lips thick; maxilla extending to about mid-eye level or beyond. Preopercular notch and knob weak. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Scale rows on cheek 9 or 10. Smokey gray on back and upper sides grading to whitish pink on lower sides and belly. Juveniles with a series of alternating light and dark bars of about equal widths on side.

Classification

Classified By

Dum?ril, 1861

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Snappers (Lutjanidae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Atlantic

Distribution

Eastern Atlantic: Senegal to Angola. Occurs primarily in the Gulf of Guinea (Ref. 55). Mesoprion retrospinis Valenciennes, 1830 may be the oldest name for this species as the original description agrees closely to that given by Delais, 1952.

Range

7°N - 20°S, 15°W - 15°E

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; brackish; reef-associated

Trophic Level

4.01000022888184 s.e. 0.66 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

150 cm

Common Length

50.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

High to very high vulnerability (74 of 100)

Resilience

Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated